Love Game
by callikitty5
Summary: Hundreds of people have wasted their lives in pursuit of the legendary love potions that have the power to make anyone fall in love with you. Unfortunately one stumbles upon Sparrow. Causing her a whirlwind of problems. Especially when she catches the eye of our favorite devious pirate. Will true love blossom? Or was it just a game? FemSparrow/Reaver Rating up to M to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: A happy welcome home

She found herself at Bowerlake almost everyday for the past week. Staring up at hero hill in reminiscence. That's where Lucien had put a bullet in her skull and her beloved dog Duke took his last stand by her side. Such horrendous memories seemed like they were only yesterday yet in reality an entire year had passed since that day. Where had the time gone? She kept herself busy, trying her best to keep Albion free of the evils that crept in the corners waiting to strike. She had successfully ridded Albion of the assassin guild notoriously named "The society" and had all but stopped the slave trade. Maybe that's why she felt almost summoned back to hero hill. For inspiration. A heroes journey was never complete…but then again what else was she supposed to do?

She felt almost guilty anytime she relaxed, like she was missing a call for help somewhere out there. She did everything she thought was the right thing to do. She bought most of the businesses in Bowerstone and lowered the prices so that even the poor citizens of Albion could afford at least meals and clothing for their families. She had a few buildings in every city so hopefully in enough time she may very well own them all. Or the act that made her infamous throughout all of Albion, her choice at the spire. When she chose to revive all those who lost their lives in the making the spire over having her family and dog back in her life. Everyone was in awe with her over that choice. Even her best friend Hannah. She was gone now. Off to study under the northern monks and leaving her literally the only hero left in Albion. Garth had went back to his home (finally) in Samarkand and Reaver had accompanied him. Now any danger that came to Albion it fell to her and her alone to take care of it.

She found herself wishing _something _would happen so she could have actually feel like a hero instead of a business woman. All she had really done for the past couple of months was buy more and more land. Real estate wasn't at all the thrill she desired in everyday life. What was so pathetic was the idea of a "normal" life was more frightening then any battle she had ever been in. It had been a non stop fight since she was eighteen years old and this time of peace was making her restless. She stared down at Bowerlake's blue waters. Her reflection stared back at her. She was almost thirty years old now and you would think with all the fighting and stress it would show on her face but thanks to some luck she looked almost the same as she did ten years ago. When the eighteen year old hero in training she used to be looked at her reflection. It felt like forever ago. Her loose-fitting gypsy clothing had been replaced with a black and pink corset and tight fitting leather pants. Instead of her fine blonde hair being pulled back in a braid it was now cut just above her shoulders. Her hazel eyes dressed up with black eyeliner on her top and bottom eyelids. She smiled and watched her reflection mimic her actions. She looked both the same and different all at once. She wanted to somehow go back in time and warn her young self of all the trials that were to come. Tell her to stop and enjoy life a little more instead of spending sleepless nights plotting her revenge on Lucien,

Sparrow was brought out of her thoughts by a new reflection emerging in the blue waters. Sparrow tensed and automatically reached back to the hilt of her sword that was strapped loyally to her back since she couldn't make out right away who or what the image in the water was. Then she heard a familiar voice from behind her and her heart almost stopped!

"Still brooding Sparrow? That can't be good for you mate."

She knew that voice. She knew that voice well…but it couldn't be…could it? She Whipped around and her eyes immediately filled with tears. Standing before her was Hannah. Smiling broadly at her with humor glistening in her eyes at Sparrow's shocked state. Sparrow leapt to her feet and attacked her best friend with a back breaking hug. She couldn't believe it! She truly thought she would never see her again! When she finally regained her composure she managed to stumble out

"How…what….how did you get back? How are you?! What was it like training under the monks?!" Sparrow finished in one breath and Hannah laughed and gave her a pat on the back.

"Easy mate, easy. I'm fine and believe it or not Albion isn't the only place in the world that has cullis gates. When I managed to figure out the one in the temple I was transported back to the one on hero hill then low and behold I find you here! The very person I traveled all this way to see." Hannah said with another proud smile. Sparrow smiled. Still half expecting that her own mind was making up Hannah standing their. She scanned Hannah up and down briefly and noticed even she had changed drastically in a years time. She was wearing a silver robe and wooden sandals. Not a sign of armor or her battle hammer in sight. Her thick red hair instead of being in her signature dreadlocks, it was cut much shorter and straightened in a simple ponytail. Long crimson bangs curtaining her face. She looked really happy. The worry lines that always plagued her face now wiped away. Sparrow could not have been more ecstatic.

"You look amazing." Sparrow voiced and Hannah giggled.

"That's what a year with peace of mind will give you." It was now Hannah's turn to examine Sparrow. Still beautiful, still deadly. It was kind of refreshing to know the Sparrow she had grown to love and respect so much had remained the same. She did grimace for a second when she saw that blasted black highwayman jacket remained on her shoulders. She recalled even hiding it once only for Sparrow to spend the next six hours trying to find it. Her excuse being it was a memento from her win at the crucible.

"Geez Sparrow you would look a lot less like a thug without that jacket ya know?" Hannah scolded playfully making Sparrow roll her eyes.

"Yes mother. And maybe I like looking like a thug." Sparrow replied the same way every time the subject was broached. Avo, she hadn't realized how much she missed even Hannah's lectures.

"Let's continue this conversation at my home. I can't wait to hear all about your time in the north!" Sparrow said eagerly and the two best friends happily made their way to Bowerstone. Hannah was happy to tell all the experiences she had, had. Both good and bad. Apparently the temples there were made of marble and the main one was almost the size of Bowerstone castle. She said they were hidden far off in the mountains where only nature and wildlife surrounded them. She claimed to have never seen something so beautiful in her entire life. She said she had to wake up every morning at dawn for prayer and meditation which was hard for her to adjust to. Along with the lack of alcohol, but Sparrow always thought Hannah had been a little hard on the bottle so it was nice to know she was no longer presented with the option. She had even started seeing a young man named Will there. Wonderful. She couldn't have asked for a better life for her best friend. She knew vengeance for her father's death was the only reason Hannah threw herself into the hero lifestyle. It was never her desire. Adventure, maybe. Though the violence and fighting grew stale for her rather quickly.

She was so engrossed in Hannah's stories, before she knew it they were walking in Bowerstone square. The citizens always gawked and applauded when she walked by since they were still grateful of her choice but she ignored them completely. The only thing in the world that mattered to her was having her best friend back and she was going to soak up as much time as she could with her. She led Hannah to her house that was just outside of Fairfax gardens. It was a fairly large house and once inside Hannah voiced a quiet "Nice." When she got a good look around. The walls were painted a deep purple and it was trimmed in gold paint. Almost a royal feel to the space. The floors were a dark oak and a large white fur area rug was set in front of the couch. A nice fire place in the corner surrounded by brick with a few logs nestled inside. What seemed to bother Hannah those was the lack of…intimacy the house had. Not a single painting hung on the walls or even a vase of flowers on the kitchen table. Only one deluxe chair and one couch in the living room and upstairs she had a deluxe bed but only large enough for her. The kitchen looked like it had never been used and the bookcase upstairs only held a handful of books. In fact if Hannah didn't know Sparrow lived their she would have been certain the house was vacant. Hannah sat patiently on the couch while Sparrow prepared them both some coffee.

"So Hannah…are your fighting days truly behind you?" Sparrow voiced carefully. Otherwise not sure what she could talk to her about because she didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"One hundred percent." Hannah answered and saw the worry on Sparrow's face. "I train everyday but the practice is to keep you away from violence by understanding it better. We are fully capable of defending ourselves but only in extreme circumstances. I guess those days will never be fully behind me in that way. We are heroes after all." Sparrow smiled at that and handed Hannah her steaming cup of coffee. Something else she had missed in her time away from Albion. It wasn't forbidden just they lacked the ingredients to make it. After taking a sip and letting out a satisfied sigh Hannah tried to bring up the subject that was on her mind.

"So, what all have you been into in the past year?"

"Um…same as usual I guess. I've been doing some bounty hunter missions for the guards in town. I own everything in Bowerstone currently. About twice a month I travel to west cliff just to try and keep the balverine population down." Sparrow answered.

"Nice. Sounds like you…are you seeing anyone?"

"No. Not right now." Sparrow said as lightly as she could. She knew she probably came off as an oddity. Here she was about to turn thirty and she hadn't had a single long term or even serious relationship. She didn't really mind. That's a whole new can of worms she didn't care to open. She had so much trust and relationship issues, and she was always off battling somewhere what man would want that?

"Oh come on, no man here has caught your fancy?"

"Well…I wouldn't say that…it's just…" Sparrow attempted to explain but she knew whatever explanation she provided Hannah would just shoot down. Maybe she was right though…maybe it was time for her to settle down. Hell maybe she would even fall in love one day. That's a scary thought…

"Ah, so there is a man that caught your eye? Well, tell me about him!" Hannah giggled and nudged Sparrows arm. Making Sparrow blush like they were school girls talking about their crushes. Sparrow smiled. It felt so good to laugh with an old friend again. If that meant opening up and talking about her feelings then so be it.

"Well there is this cute crate carrier that comes into The Cow and Corset when I'm in there from time to time. We've been kind of flirting back and forth for a couple months but I don't think much will come of it. I think his name is Paul?"

"Why not? Go talk to him. At least you can do is go out to dinner with the bloke. You may even end up really liking him." Hannah encouraged. _That's what I'm afraid of _Sparrow thought and bit her lip nervously. Anyone she had gotten close to or cared about ended up dead or left her. Even Hannah fell into that category. Sure she was back but after another two weeks she would be gone. Leaving her alone again. She was almost terrified of falling in love with someone. Because what was the point if they were just doomed to death or leave her? It was ironic that Albion's big hero could face any monster or man fearless but a dinner for two made her run away screaming.

"You think I should?"

"I know you should! Head down to the docks first thing in morning and get yourself a date. If it works out though you have to name your first child after me." Hannah teased turning the conversation back to a light one. Though it did weigh heavy on Hannah's heart Sparrow remaining in this big house by herself. She deserved a good man that could actually take care of _her _for a change. Sparrow laughed loudly.

"That will be difficult if I end up having a boy then wouldn't it?"

"Not at all. Hammer would work for a boy…or Hanman!" Hannah exclaimed excitedly making Sparrow go into a fit of hysterical laughter. After a couple of hours of more stories being told and a few rounds of card games Hannah remembered something and emptied the contents of her shoulder bag onto Sparrow's coffee table.

Sparrow raised her eyebrow and looked at her best friend in confusion. Not sure what she was looking for or why?

"I couldn't bring you a present so I decided I'd let you have your pick of all the Albion souvenirs I have. They just bring me bitter memories anyway. Thank Avo you killed that wrenched man." Hannah added and she looked saddened for a second but quickly perked up as she watched Sparrow fiddle through everything. "That's very sweet of you Hannah. I wish I had known you were coming or else I would have gotten you a present as well." Sparrow said looking at all the objects now displayed on her coffee table. Come to think of it maybe that's why she had spent so much time at Bowerlake the past couple of days, somehow sensing she would have a long over due guest. Most of the stuff scattered on the table was various liquors and she game Hannah credit for not drinking from any of them in the year she was away. Along with that was a couple daggers, some health potions, a couple augments, and various trophies from her own conquests including a white balverine skull that made her cringe. Amongst the health potions she noticed one that stood out amongst the rest. The bottle was golden instead of the usual bright lime green. The bottom of the potion bottle was shaped like a heart and the mouth of it was twisted around in a short spiral. It was even jewel in crested. Now Sparrow thought it was some type of fancy perfume, but when she examined the bottle it read Love potion 9.042. She couldn't help but laugh out loud. Love potion? Really?

"Hannah, what in Avo's name is this?" She showed Hannah the bottle and she narrowed her eyes trying to remember where she had acquired such an odd potion. Then it hit her.

"Oh _that_. I won it off a bloke in West Cliff after a couple rounds of Spinner Box. Bloke had nothing else to bet so he used that as payment. I forgot I had it to be honest with you."

"What's it supposed to do? Make you fall in love with someone?" Sparrow wondered out loud. That was some crazy powerful magic if so. Though she doubted even magic could do something like that. Hannah rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Apparently if you drink it your crush is supposed to fall madly in love with you!" Hannah exclaimed dramatically then giggled. "It's just a load of dung used for tourists and those so desperate they are willing to try anything. Really all it does is give the drinker the confidence to go and chat up their crushes. Nothing more to it then that. If you believe the potion works then you can't fail so you are no longer shy. Personally I was just doing to try and sell it to a jeweler for a bit of a profit. You would be surprised how much gold these suckers would shell out for a hoax."

Sparrow contemplated this. Funny how desperate people were for love when she wanted nothing more then to get as far away from it as possible. Still, she could probably get some gold out of it and the bottle was beautiful. She decided to keep the love potion and both the daggers which Hannah found to be an amusing combination. But that was Sparrow for you. All work and no play. At least she had convinced Sparrow to talk to the boy that she fancied. Of course he would jump at the chance to date her. Sparrow was an absolutely gorgeous girl she was just a little quiet and awkward at times because she was not used to interacting with a lot of people. She had to have the biggest heart in all of Albion though. Once she opened up anyone would fall in love with her.

They called it a night and Hannah was happy to sleep on the couch while Sparrow retired upstairs. They had plans to visit Hannah's father's grave in the morning and if they traveled by carriage they should only be gone half the day. As usual though Sparrow's sleep was interrupted by her damn nightmare. She had gone years without it and she had even avenged her sisters death yet still she had that nightmare. The memory of Lucien shooting Rose while she watched helplessly. What could she have done? She was a child. Yet the guilt was still there. Maybe because she had the chance to bring Rose back? No. she wouldn't want her life back if it meant the lives of hundreds. That's just the kind of girl Rose was. Ughh. Maybe a man in her life would be a pleasant distraction from all her consuming thoughts. It was still scary but…she had faced worse. She sat up in her bed then headed down stairs for a glass of water. Tip toeing to try and not disturb Hannah. When she pulled a clean glass from the cabinet the Love potion sitting on the counter caught her eye. She recalled Hannah's words concerning the potion giving the user the confidence to approach their person of interest. Truth be told she needed as much confidence as she could get. Hmm. She walked over to the potion and held it in her hands for a few seconds. Then chuckled to herself. This is ridiculous. Like Hannah said it was a hoax. There was no reason to drink the potion or any reason not to drink the potion. Out of mostly curiosity she popped the lid off the potion and took a tiny cautious sip.

It tasted…really good. Like vanilla and butterscotch mixed into a glorious concoction. Eagerly she took another drink. Then another. Before she knew it she had half of the potion drank and she had to stop herself from drinking even more. She even licked her lips to savor the delicious flavor. She put it back on the counter and went back up stairs. Deciding she would wake up early to get the ingredients she needed to make a good breakfast for Hannah and herself before they hit the road. Secretly hoping she would run into Paul and maybe her drink of "confidence" might help her out. Avo it had been so long since she truly tried to flirt she would probably sound like a complete buffoon.

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When Sparrow awoke the next morning she did feel a lot more perky then usual. She had her best friend back, and she was happier then she had been in awhile. Knowing she going to try and flirt with Paul the crate carrier she decided to try and go to her closet and dress a little more…appropriate for such a task. Nothing wrong with showing off the goods every once and awhile right? When she scanned her wardrobe she sighed. Nothing but repeats of the exact same outfit she was wearing now. "I need to go shopping." she whispered and looked through everything again. All she really had other then her leather pants was a black pair of short shorts. She put then on anyway because of nothing else it showed off her legs and matched her corset. She decided to for the first time in a long time to leave her highwayman jacket at home. She threw on a pair of pink diamond earrings and a matching diamond necklace. Doing her makeup as usual and brushing her hair so that it was more out of her face then normal. She sighed when she looked in the mirror. Hoping she was looking appropriate to grab a date and not some slut on the streets. Leaving the house quietly she headed towards the market place.

Hm. What sounded good for breakfast this morning? The classic bacon and eggs? Maybe some pancakes? Knowing Hannah….all three. She smiled. Now she had an excuse to pig out again. She headed over to the meat trader and asked for some bacon. Luckily he had some eggs as well. When he was done wrapping her bacon for her she pulled out her pouch of gold to pay the man but he shook his head rapidly.

"No Miss Sparrow. No charge. I can't let someone as noble and beautiful as you pay for my humble services." he said sweetly then winked at her. Sparrow blushed and sighed.

"Non sense. I don't care to pay you. Please accept my payment." Sparrow said getting out a handful of gold and still the man refused. Suddenly Trevor the pie maker whose stand was next to the meat trader's ran up to her.

"Please Miss Sparrow, please accept one of my apple pies, free of charge." Phil insisted and Sparrow just raised her eyebrow. That came from no where? "Um, no thank you I was just getting some food to make for breakfast." she said politely. Next thing she knew another gentlemen tapped her on the shoulder and when she turned around she saw…an older man with short white hair and a long white beard. He dug into his pockets and pulled out an old looking pocket watch.

"Brave hero, I want to give you this as a present. It's all I have but I hope you will accept it as a token of my love for you." he said and held out the pocket watch with shaking hands and Sparrow just gapped at him.

"No sir please, that's yours keep it." Sparrow said and her face was now burning red. What in the world was going on? Another man came running up to her and before everyone got down on one knee with a golden band in his hand.

"Sparrow my love. Will you marry me?" he asked and Sparrow's jaw dropped. She was certain she had never even met the man in her entire life.

"I don't even know who you are." Sparrow stated and started feeling nervous and extremely uncomfortable. She grabbed her bacon and eggs and shoved them in her bag then pushed past the group of men to run back to her house. She could hear the footsteps of the men behind her and she knew they were following her. When she turned her head to look back she saw even more men of all ages had joined the group and were in hot pursuit of her. She hastened her pace and now they were running after her. Now two of three men came at her from the left then a few more on her right and before she knew it she was encircled by what she was almost certain was the entire male population of Bowerstone.

"Sparrow! Sparrow! You are so beautiful please be my wife!"

"Sparrow, I love you! Please let me be yours!"

"I'm rich! Pick me! I will buy you anything and everything you want!"

Were the shouts from the crowd that she heard. Now Sparrow was starting to get dizzy and very nervous. It's not like she could fight her way through this. They were just normal men. Maybe the shorts were a bad idea…

"Please let me pass." Sparrow said politely as she tried to move past a small group of men. One man grabbed her hand and pleaded that she be his and after that another man yelled out "Don't you touch her!" and ran up and punched him. Soon fights were breaking out all around her leaving Sparrow stunned and confused.

"STOP!" she shouted but to no prevail. She was trying to decide of she should use the fight as a distraction to sneak away but she didn't like the idea of people getting hurt because of her.

"OW!" a booming voice shouted and the crowd parted like the red sea revealing a very pissed off Hannah. She pushed her way roughly through the crowd and stood in front of Sparrow in a guard like manner.

"What in the hell has gotten into you lot! Stay away from her! Now piss off you wankers all of you!" She shouted and no one dared to question her. Even without her massive battle hammer with her stature and strength Hannah was a _very _intimidating woman. Hannah grabbed Sparrow by her wrist and led her back to her house where she slammed and locked the door behind her. With her back against the door Hannah sighed.

"What in Albion was that about?!"

"I have no idea! I was just doing some shopping and everyone freaked out on me!" Sparrow stated. Her heart still racing from all that occurred.

"Did you…do anything different this morning? Anything?" Hannah questioned and Sparrow thought about it. Besides putting on shorts and not wearing her jacket she couldn't think of anything. Wait…

"The potion…that love potion or whatever you brought I…I drank some of it last night." Sparrow said. No. Surely not. That can't be why this was happening? Could it?

Hannah walked to the kitchen and looked at the potion. Reading the little bit of information on the back.

"It says here one sip of this is supposed to make the man or woman of your desires fall madly in love with you. One sip…Sparrow you drank over half of this!" Hannah said concerned and Sparrow sighed.

"You said it was a hoax! So I decided to try it." Sparrow defended.

"Over half of it?"

"It tasted good…"

"Didn't you read the back at least?!"

"NO ONE EVER READS THE WARNINGS ON ANYTHING HANNAH!" Sparrow said and was starting to panic. Now what had she managed to get herself into. What was she going to have a group of mindless men following her around no. Hannah sighed and tried to figure out a plan. All the while the boys that had been following her were pounding on the door.

"Okay, just calm down. Let me take this to an alchemist and see if we can't get this sorted out. You stay here and keep the door locked. If someone breaks in just bash them a good time on their heads okay?" Hannah said and pushed her way past the crowd again. Sparrow paced back and forth in wait. She couldn't keep still. Now she had male attention alright but not at all the way she wanted it. A couple of hours later Hannah finally returned and the look on her face did not bode well. She sat next to Sparrow on the couch and sighed. Giving her shoulder a slight squeeze.

"Well Sparrow…from what the alchemist here told me, when these potions were created only five of them did what they were supposed to. Obviously it had horrible side effects and the remaining three that hadn't been used were buried to never be used again and the recipe burned and forgotten. Any of the potions made after those are like I said just a gimmick that does nothing more then give the user confidence or make them appear slightly more attractive for twenty four hours."

"Let me guess…somehow one of the original three Love potions were found and came into our possession."

"It appears so…" Hannah sighed. "Seeing how you drank far more then the required amount any man who lays his eyes on you will fall madly in love with you. With behavior that could even borderline obsessive."

"Perfect." Sparrow sighed and leaned back on her couch. This had to be universes way of telling her not to date. Had to be. When would this awful luck streak end?

"There is good news though. There is a cure. An antidote. Though you have to be present when the antidote is made in order for it to be effective and if you saw the alchemist here he would be effected by the Love potion too."

"Of course." Sparrow sighed. Even when there is a sign of hope, it dashed. Maybe the effects would wear off eventually and she can just stay shut off in her house until then.

"Aw, don't be so glum Sparrow we are getting you the antidote. There is a female alchemist in Bloodstone that can help and the potion only works on the opposite sex."

"Bloodstone? I hate that place. With all the brawlers and drunks there do you think I want them to see me considering the consequences?" the idea of going back to that place churned Sparrows stomachs. Especially all the men's dirty hands reaching out for stale beer on their breath.

"We don't have a choice Sparrow. You don't want to stay this way do you? Hopefully we won't be there long and I wanted a nice boat ride while I was here anyway." Hannah smiled trying to stay optimistic. Then Sparrow remembered and felt horrible…

"No Hannah you wanted to visit your father-" she started and Hannah cut her off.

"We need to fix you first okay? We got plenty of time. If worst comes to worse I end up going back home later then expected. I feel partially responsible anyway for bringing the damn thing to you." Sparrow saw the look in Hannah's eyes and knew there was no arguing with her. She just had to accept it and hope for the best.

"To Bloodstone…" Sparrow sighed. She was really starting to hate magic. Alchemy. All of it. At least things couldn't get any worse.


	2. Chapter 2

"I SWEAR IF ANY OF YOU SO MUCH AS LOOK AT HER FOR TO LONG I WILL LOB YOUR SODDING HEADS OFF!" was the loud and booming exclamation of Hannah as soon as they boarded the ship to Bloodstone. Sparrow almost chuckled. Thank Avo, Hannah was here for this occasion otherwise she didn't know what she would do. The carriage ride all the way to Westcliff was very…interesting….and by interesting she meant a disaster! She would have covered more ground if the two had walked the distance. Since every bandit that caught a view of her through the carriages tiny window would ambush the thing with even more proclamations of love and devotion. The carriage driver even stopped anytime he spotted a pretty flower to pick it and give it to her. Never had she heard so many cuss words fly out of Hannah's mouth then on that day. She could tell her vow of peace was starting to get to her.

Sparrow on the other hand's heart was heavy with guilt. These poor people truly believed they were in love with her and even a simple turn of her head would break their hearts. She sighed. She was considering going back to the monastery with Hannah when they finally had this straightened out. If she didn't want to date before she defiantly didn't want to now. She wondered why such a potion was even created. Why would you want love or affection from someone when you knew it was a lie? She knew she wasn't exactly a spring chicken anymore and she was awkward as hell to talk to but she wanted someone who knew those flaws but wanted her anyway. Not that she would ever want to dump all her emotional baggage on anyone. Maybe that was why she chose to be silent more often then not.

"Ugh, Sparrow I promise the next time I visit I will stop at the gift shop and buy you a five gold piece box of chocolate if I feel you need a present!" Hannah said to her as she pulled Sparrow away from her admirers and into a room that was meant for the ships crew but she didn't care. If she heard another half witted sod proclaim their love for Sparrow without ever meeting her before she was going to take her vow of peace and throw it out the window. Only in Albion could you find a potion that actually had the power to make men swoon over you. She spotted the broken dresser in the corner of the almost closet sized room and pushed it against the door. So if any of them wanted to break the door down bad enough they would have an obstacle to go through. Sparrow sighed and pushed her blonde bangs out of her face. She had to look a mess since they hadn't stopped moving for twenty four hours before now. Yet that didn't seem to dull the potions effects. She honestly didn't know what to do anymore. This was becoming not only annoying but burdening. She didn't want to hurt anyone. She let herself laugh at Hannah's last words.

"Do not blame yourself Hannah. Neither of us would ever imagine that the potion had any real power to it. And if you are going to get me chocolate spring for the twenty gold box. The five gold one has gravels in it." Sparrow said making Hannah let out her own exasperated laugh.

"I will keep that in mind. Or maybe bring you a bat or club of some kind." Hannah said making light of the situation. A thought crossed her mind and she laughed even louder. Sparrow was exhausted and she wondered several times throughout her life where Hannah got the energy she had.

"Looks like were on another adventure Sparrow. Just like all the hollow men in the caves, and the bandit hideout in Westcliff. I think it's just destiny. We are meant to travel on quests together." Hannah smiled looking at her best friend. Hell even with her hair slightly messed up hair and tired bags under her eyes Sparrow was beautiful. She found herself often jealous of Sparrow's beauty in the past. Let's be honest, Hannah didn't look like most girls. She was insanely tall and had bulging muscles that rivaled that of any man. It seemed only natural to be envious of Sparrow's petite physique and golden hair. Baby pink lips, ivory skin and the most inviting hazel green eyes you would ever seen. Even they had shreds of gold in them. But Sparrow was never arrogant or boastful. If anything she probably thought little of her appearance just like she thought little of herself in general.

"I think I would rather face the bandits and hollow men." Sparrow stated and they chuckled again. Hannah looked around the room and there was only one cot on the floor surrounded by mostly trash and empty beer bottles. She scoffed. Obviously a sailor resided in this room. Stained grimy walls, trash everywhere and there wasn't even a blanket for the cot just a pillow. What time was it? It had to be getting late in the afternoon. They would be arriving in Bloodstone in a matter of hours and she decided the best course of action at this point was to get some much needed shut eye. Hannah propped herself against the dresser to give it some extra reinforcement, just incase and let her head drop to her chest.

"Let's try and get some sleep Sparrow. Who knows what horrors Bloodstone will bring us." Hannah said softly and gestured toward the cot next to her. "You can sleep their I don't mind." Hannah said figuring it would be more comfortable then the ship's floor. Sparrow eyed the cot and her stomach churned. Who knew what kind of nasty things happened their. She very much did not want to know.

"I think I will go without." Sparrow said politely and propped her back against the wall. She took off her long highwayman jacket to use as a blanket and like Hannah let her head droop down to her chest. Knowing when she'd awake her neck would be killing her. No matter. A little neck ache was the least of her concerns. So the two heroes sat across from one another and attempted sleep even through the banging on the door and woeful pleas for entrance.

Hours later the ships mournful horn stirred them from their sleep. Signaling that they had arrived in the city of sin. Sparrow groaned. Begging whatever gods that would listen to her that she could just get a few more moments of peace and sleep before having to enter the city of bloodshed and debauchery. No such prayer was answered when she felt Hannah's strong hand grip her shoulder and give her a good shake.

"Come on mate. Were here." Hannah said bitterly. She swore that if the alchemist wasn't in her shop she would search the whole damn city until she found her. Sparrow sighed and whispered "Five more minutes mum." with a small smile on her lips. Hannah sighed and grimaced.

"Wish I could mate. Now come on we better get out of here before the sods set sail again."

Sparrow stretched then got to her feet. Making sure her sword and pistols were still in place. The people of Bloodstone was not accustomed to the word "no" nor did they abide by it so in this case she very well may need to react violently. Then a thought came to her. It was a long shot…but maybe it would help. She frantically dug through her shoulder bag making Hannah raise an eyebrow in confusion. When she pulled out a hooded red cloak she made the connection that Sparrow had made.

"Think it will work?" Hannah asked as Sparrow threw the cloak over herself. Promptly throwing the hood over her head so that most of it even covered her eyes.

"I don't know, but it's worth a shot. If they can't see me properly maybe the spell won't work." Sparrow said hopefully. She took a deep breath and headed out the door. Letting Hannah lead her into Bloodstone and assuming if she kept her head down and face covered she might be able to sneak around without to much notice. Hannah grabbed her by the hand and lead her through the streets. All she could see from her point of view was her boots and the cobblestone beneath her feet. Occasionally she would see other pairs of feet but Hannah's speed was much to quick to decipher any of them. So far the plan seemed to be working. There were no shouts of love or anyone pushing to see her. Just the usual drunken banter and half hearted insults to the visitors. Even the cat calls from the random whores on the street corners were music to her ears. Though Hannah immediately shouted "Shove off." as soon as they did. Sparrow was happy so long as they didn't claim to be madly in love with her. When Hannah led her to a small fleet of wooden steps she knew they had made it to the alchemy shop. With moment of pause Sparrow fiddled with her hood to insure it was still securely hiding her face. She chanced a glance behind her as Hannah pounded on the door with all her might. Bloodstone still looked the same. Still falling apart houses mixed in with posh looking ones. Same beautiful ocean and wooden piers. If this city would clean up a little bit it had a lot of potential to be a nice city to live in. But without any guard or laws to speak of it was going to be a task to make it so.

"Were closed!" came a raspy feminine voice from inside the shop and Hannah grunted.

"You don't understand miss this is an emergency! Please open up!" Hannah pleaded. Considering breaking down the door incase the slag decided not to obey. After what seemed like forever the alchemy door opened slightly .A chain lock keeping the door from opening completely. The crack in the door revealed a thin and mousy haired lady with harsh grey eyes. Random splashes of different colored potions decorating the pauper dress she was wearing. She did not look like she was in the mood for guests which Sparrow could understand. It had to be almost midnight now. Sparrow could tell by her stance that the woman was holding a gun of some kind out of sight and behind the door. Instinctively Sparrow reached for her own pistol that was strapped to her hip. Not that she could shoot her even if she wanted to. This random stranger was the only one in Albion that could help her in her condition.

"What you want?" she said venomously and Hannah tried her best to sound as polite as possible. Theresa had told her on several occasions that she lacked in tact and delicacy.

"Listen miss, my friend here is in a lot of trouble. I spoke with the alchemist in Bowerstone and he confirmed that she has accidentally taken an original Love Potion 9.042. We thought it was a fake so she drank over half of it. Now every man in Albion that looks at her is under the potions spell. He told me that there was an antidote that can be made and I beg you to make one for us. Money isn't an issue just please help us." Hannah pleaded and the woman inside stared at her then to Sparrow. Noting the thick cloak she kept over her. After a few minutes she closed the door and reopened it all the way. Motioning for them to quickly come inside. She lead the heroes to the back room where there was a table and some chairs for them to sit in. Shelves upon shelves of ingredients covering every inch of the rooms walls. Finally feeling safe Sparrow removed her hood and let out a needed breath. It was starting to get really stuffy under there. The female alchemist sat in a chair in front of them. The amused look on her face made it obvious she thought she was being conned.

"My name is Azmarie. I have been studying alchemy my entire life and nothing has ever led me to believe that their was ever any love potions that do what you claim they do." she said flatly and now Hannah noticed that Azmarie had a holster strapped around her stomach with a shiny turret pistol inside. That wasn't good. "It's a myth. A fable. Tall tales told by hopeless romantics and scorned lovers to be some kind of hope for the future. Whoever told you this was obviously leading you on a wild goose chase."

"I assure you madam it is very much real." Hannah said impatiently. Not caring for Azmarie's smug expression. Like they would make this up! "My friend here was practically attacked in the middle of Bowerstone by every man in sight. Husbands and elderly men alike. There is no other explanation."

Azmarie looked Sparrow up and down briefly and shrugged.

"She is a very attractive young woman. Perhaps the men in your neighborhood are just growing more eager and impatient." Hannah was about to bite Azmarie's head off for her continued stubbornness but Sparrow held her hand up to signal for her to stop.

"You have to believe me Miss Azmarie. I know it's a farfetched explanation and I wouldn't believe it myself if men everywhere I went didn't swear their love for me. They try to give me gifts, money, they swear to leave their wives…please. Is there anything you can do?" Sparrow asked and Azmarie saw the desperation in her eyes and heard the sorrow in her voice. Maybe they weren't pulling her leg.

"PHILLIP!" Azmarie shrieked loud enough the poorly built walls shook and it startled both of the heroes. Soon her young apprentice came into the room. A vial and empty tube in his hands.

"You summoned me Az-" the brown eyed and haired young man asked and then Phillp caught a glimpse of Sparrow and he tossed the empty glasses in the floor and they shattered. He threw himself on his knees in front of Sparrow and grabbed her hands.

"Oh beautiful maiden. You have to be the most gorgeous creature I have ever seen. I beg you to tell me what I need to do to make you mine. Anything. It's yours my love!" Phillip testified. Making Azmarie's jaw drop and Hannah's fury grow.

"YOU SEE! Tell me this isn't the work of magic! This boy has never even seen Sparrow before." Hannah exclaimed and banged her fist on the table. Azmarie sighed and got up from the table. Grabbing Phillip by his ear and dragging him out of the room while scolding him. When she returned she sat back down at the table after she found a particular book she was looking for.

"I'm starting to see your point." Azmarie muttered and turned through the pages in her book looking for the page she needed. Sparrow felt her face flush and the guilty feeling sure wasn't going to go away anytime soon.

"Was that really necessary? Why couldn't you just take us for our word? Now that poor boy is going to be heartbroken for nothing." Sparrow sighed and looked at the floor.

"It's okay he has his boyfriend to console him." Azmarie said flatly then got up to gather some ingredients. Sparrow was now blood red and Hannah tried her best not to chuckle. That is some hell of a potion if it can change a man's sexuality. Poor Sparrow was probably in a lot more trouble then either of them realized.

"Now do you have the potion in question with you?" Azmarie asked after consoling her books to refresh her knowledge on the matter. Sparrow nodded and pulled out the little yet potent jar and handed it to Azmarie. She got up to grab an empty glass from the cupboard and poured a little of the potion into the glass. Sparrow and Hannah watched her intently. Sparrow half hoping she could just run to the back and grab the "magical legend love potion" antidote from her cupboard of tricks. Though if her luck ran like it normally did then it would be no where near that simple. Azmarie held it to the candle light then lightly tapped the glass. Before all of their eyes the clear water looking liquid started to sparkle a bright red for a few seconds before returning to normal. Azmarie gasped and started laughing hysterically.

"Well I'll be damned you actually did find one of the true love potions. That's incredible! Do you have any idea how many people have searched for these over the centuries?!"

"Lucky me." Sparrow groaned. Azmarie looked back at the jar and raised an eyebrow.

"Good lord girl why did you drink so much of this?! No wonder it has a such a strong effect on the men around you."

"It tasted good!" Sparrow defended again. Letting out a frustrated sigh. Never again. After all this was over she was going to buy a dozen cats and live by herself forever. Now all she needed to do is learn how to sew.

"Well I have bad news for you strangers. The effects of the potion will only intensify as days go by. Good news is only weak men will be effected in this way, the strong may only become obsessive and demanding. The love potion will eventually fade but considering how much you drank it could be months before that happens." Azmarie said in a very matter of fact tone.

"Isn't there a antidote?" Hannah sighed. Starting to feel hopeless. She really did feel responsible for this madness that Sparrow now had to go through. She wanted her to open up and be more comfortable with the idea of dating but she didn't want men throwing themselves at her like puppies.

"There is, but it won't be easy. To gather all the ingredients I need and the time it takes to be made and settle it will be…two weeks. That should be enough time." Azmarie said simply and Sparrow almost crawled into a little ball on the floor then and there. Two weeks? That would be agonizing. She thought at worst a couple of days but two weeks?

"Seriously? No way, that is not acceptable! We need it sooner then two weeks! The girl can't go anywhere!" Hannah screeched. Azmarie chuckled and gathered a small bowl and some unknown ingredients and poured them in the bowl.

"It's not negotiable. I'm sorry but the two weeks alone is me working at full capacity and putting all other tasks aside. Unless you want to try your hand at making the antidote and decrypting an ancient formula." Azmarie said and effectively silenced Hannah who gave Sparrow an apologetic nod. Sparrow was trying to figure out what she could do in those two weeks. Maybe have Hannah do some shopping for her and just lock herself in her house. She let a half smile show on her face despite the situation. Sad to say that scenario wasn't to much different then her usual everyday life.

"Forgive my friend Azmarie, she just has a lot of concern for me. You will be paid whatever amount you desire for this I assure you. And I apologize for my rudeness. My name is Sparrow and this is Hannah."

"I know who you are hero." Azmarie smiled and the mixture she made was finally ready. "I don't think there is a being in Albion that does not. Now I need you to please place your hand in this bowl for me. It's for the antidote, I need to get your essence to add to it."

Her essence? That sounded peculiar. She didn't care to much for the idea of putting her hand in the unknown concoction either. Especially when she spotted a few jars on the shelves labeled "Rat brain" and "Troll urine." Still if it moved things along then she decided to do what Azmarie advised without question. When she dunked her hand in she was surprised that it was warm instead of freezing cold like she had braced for. She spotted a few tiny green leaves floating in the mixture which was also odd. Azmarie gingerly grabbed Sparrow's free hand and started whispering foreign words out loud. Hannah rocked back and forth in her chair nervously. Not liking that they had to put their trust in a shady alchemist from Bloodstone. Luckily whatever Azmarie was doing was over in a matter of minutes and she handed Sparrow an already dirty hand towel to dry off her hand.

"That's all I need for now miss hero." Azmarie said pouring the mixture in a empty vial. She looked back at Sparrow. "Feel free to check the shop as often as you want but as I said the antidote will not be complete until two weeks from now. My advice is to try and stay away from massive crowds and when you came here you were wearing a cloak to obscure your face. That should prevent the potions effects but any male that get's so much as a glance at your face will be under the spell. I can't even guarantee that it will remain effective as the days go on but try it as long as you can. If you must go out I would be escorted by your friend because the crowds will grow more and more violent as time goes on."

"Thank you for all your help Azmarie." Sparrow said politely and stood bowing her head. Hannah was happy to get out of there. A jar that had a pair of hobbe eyes in it seemed to be following her with any move she made. It was starting to give her the creeps. Sparrow followed close behind but was stopped by the alchemists voice again.

"Warning great hero. The love potion doesn't only effect those around the user but the user as well. Don't be surprised if you find yourself enjoying the new found affection of your admirers. Nor if you find yourself falling just as madly in love with them as they are to you." Azmarie warned with a smile on her face. The very notion made Sparrow scowl and bite her lip.

"That is not love." Sparrow answered simply. Azmarie giggled and moved to close the door behind Sparrow. "Whatever you say." she stated and with a firm clank sound the door was shut. Sparrow sighed and threw her hood over her head and followed Hannah outside.

"Two weeks! Bloody hell Sparrow I'm so sorry. Now what are we going to do?" Hannah whined and Sparrow shrugged.

"We will just have to make due. You heard her no matter what we have to wait for two weeks before we have a cure."

"Well with it being so late, we'll have to find a place to stay here until morning." Hannah said bitterly. Yippee. She really should have expected this. She handed Hannah a small bag of gold to take to the pub to pay for a room for the both of them and waited patiently for her to return. Keeping her head down and trying her best not to let herself be revealed. _Real good one you got yourself into now Sparrow. _She thought to herself. _Your life doesn't seem so mundane now does it? What's worse is the one man you wanted to impress you didn't even see. You can't see him now. _Sparrow let out a soft sigh. She was starting to feel like a leper or something. Unfit for normal society.

Some drunken slob stumbled out of the pub and bumped into her. Spilling his pint of ale all over the front of her corset. Great. That's really what she needed to top off her night.

"Watch it!" she grunted and before she realized it the drunk looked back at her, prepared to throw out an insult and to her mistake she met his eye. The man's expression automatically softened and Sparrow wanted to scream. No. Not again. Not here. He lunged forward and wrapped his arms around her torso.

"I'm so sorry my love! Please forgive 'ol Reggie he will never 'urt cha again." he shouted and Sparrow struggled to get away from his grip. She pushed him away and straightened up. When she heard several gasps of awe her stomach dropped. She reached behind her head and…of course. Her hood had fallen in the struggle leaving her in full sight of every man in the town. She gulped. Most of these thugs had weapons on them and as mentioned no was not a acceptable word. When men from every direction started encircling her she cried out

"HANNAH!" she shouted as loud as she could but she knew it was stifled by the several other shouts of admiration. What should she do? She could easily knock out all the drunken fools but this wasn't their fault. Half the people of Bloodstone hated her anyway do to her "goody goody nature". If wasn't for this damn potion! Now she had to break her integrity because of this. She sighed and knew rational actions wouldn't work with these people. She had to fight…

No sooner had she gripped the handle of her pistol in attempt to scare them off she heard and felt a bullet whisp past her. Hitting the admirer closest to her directly between the eyes. When he slumped over dead she turned around to try and spot the direction at which it had come from. Her jaw dropped when she found the source. Sauntering happily closer to her was…Reaver? Had he returned from Samarkand? Even better why had she not been informed of this when he had! No it couldn't be…yet the closer and closer he got there was no denying it was him. He looked exactly the same as he had that day in the spire. Same dark hair styled meticulously to one side. Same sea blue eyes and youthful face. He was dressed in deep reds and gold and most importantly his infamous dragonstomper was held firmly in his head. Avo knew how incredibly dangerous that man was with any type of firearm in hand. He was followed closely by a handful of his pirate crew and when he got close enough to her he snapped his fingers and one of his followers dropped to his hands and knees in front of him. Reaver used the poor guy as a stepping stool and stood eloquently on top of him. Sparrow heard then man grunt in pain once Reaver had put his whole weight on him.

"Dear people of Bloodstone I have a very important announcement to make." Reaver stated and demanded the full attention of those on the streets. Some of the men were moving their eyes to Sparrow then to Reaver like they were trying to decide who they wanted to pay more attention to. Reaver turned his head to her and gave her a quick wink before continuing. Sparrow rolled her eyes. Yup. That was Reaver alright. From this distance she noticed he was now clean shaven compared to before. It actually made him look even younger.

"As your beloved leader I have a few demands that will be in full effect from this moment on. Any man that touches, speaks to, or so much as stare at this woman (he gestured to Sparrow) for longer then one second will be faced with very, very dire consequences. So kindly spread the word for me because I oh so hate repeating myself. That is all. Now off you go. Shoo." Reaver said in a very upbeat tone as if he hadn't just threatened the entire populous of Bloodstone. What surprised Sparrow the most was…they were actually backing away from her now. Could one man really cause so much fear that even magic didn't drive them against him? Reaver stepped down from the man who let out another pained grunt before laying on the ground to recuperate. Truth was, Sparrow was really grateful. Sure he had killed a man but it saved her from injuring them all and now there was promise of not being bothered again.

"Thank you so much Reaver. I think I can honestly say I am happy to see you." Sparrow laughed and when Reaver was right in front of her, her heart skipped a beat. That gleam in Reaver's eyes said it all. She had seen lust in Reaver's eyes in the past for her but this was completely different. Reaver was a man…no…surely the potion wouldn't effect him too? He was a hero. Weren't they immune to this kind of stuff?

"Why thank you love, I am very pleased to see you as well." Reaver said in a husky voice and reached out to affectionately stroke her cheek. Uh oh… "In fact I don't think I have been so happy to see a single person in a very long time." he finished and Sparrow shivered. No. No this can not be happening. Common villagers were one thing but Reaver was a dangerous and powerful man. She couldn't simply run away from him. Reaver had a knack for getting exactly whatever Reaver wanted. After she didn't respond to him, his hand moved to push the bangs away from her face and he smiled.

"My god you are gorgeous. You haven't aged a day. Anyone ever tell you, you are the mirror of perfection my love?" Reaver continued and leaned in to steal a kiss but Sparrow jumped back to avoid it. Ok. She just had to think fast. Reaver was an intelligent man who was not used to feeling anything for anyone. If she simply explained the situation to him he would understand. Well she had to hope.

"Reaver I need you to listen to me okay? I know what you _think_ you are feeling for me but it's not real ok?" Sparrow tried to explain but noticed Reaver's eyes were fixated on her chest then traveled down to her legs then back up again. Damn shorts!

"Reaver please listen to me." Sparrow pleaded. Reaver smiled and took her hand into his.

"I'm listening darling just enjoying the view."

Sparrow rolled her eyes and continued.

"Okay. What you are feeling for me isn't real. The only reason you feel for me is because of this love potion I accidentally drank. If effects any man that lays eyes on me. So, I appreciate your help with getting the crowd away from me but whatever you feel for me is because of the potion. Not of your own accord." Sparrow explained an Reaver's low chuckle was not reassuring.

"Oh dearest you must be so tired from your travels that you are delirious! Love potions don't work that way, beautiful girl. They are just profit for inebriated traders that pander to the foolish. I have had several lovers in the past attempt to ensnare me in this way. I assure you this isn't the case." Reaver said almost like he was talking to a little girl which did not improve her mood in the least bit. She had to get through to him somehow! She sure wanted to avoid getting in a fight with him.

"No Reaver you don't understand I actual-" she started to explain further and in a blink Reaver had redrawn his dragonstomper and shot another man that was lingering to close to them for Reaver's liking. Sparrow gasped. What was that for?

"What did I say about staring!" Reaver shouted and any nearby man ran as far as they could away from the two. "There's good lads." Reaver laughed then turned his attention back to Sparrow. "I'm sorry pet, what were you saying?"

It was clear to her now he couldn't be reasoned with. He must have been effected by the love potions spell the same as everyone else. Now what?

"Reaver why did you shoot that man that was excessive!" Sparrow said furiously. No matter her efforts people were still getting hurt because of this stupid mistake! Reaver frowned when he saw that Sparrow was upset.

"I'm sorry daring, I gave them fair warning. You are mine and those who don't realize it need to be punished. That's just the way it is."

"So your claiming me now?" Sparrow continued outraged at his boldness and Reaver calmly took her hand back in his.

"Now, now I know you need some convincing considering our last unfortunate encounter but I will have your forgiveness and love if it's the last thing I do." Reaver smiled and then rest his head on top of hers. Sparrow was surprised how good he smelled. She always expected Reaver to smell like blood and booze but instead her nose was filled with the smell of cloves and gunpowder. Not a horrible combination. She flashed her eyes back up at him and sighed. Yes. Reaver was a very good looking man but he was also a very bad man that had screwed her over twice. Even if for some reason the love potion kept him honest she would never trust him again! Very good looking man….

"Reaver, this isn't you…you don't feel love for people right? Come to your senses and believe what I am telling you!" Sparrow said backing away from him again. Reaver sighed and then smiled.

"I guess it just took an amazing woman to bring it out in me. I admit I never thought I would…" Reaver started then shook his head like he was snapping himself out of a trance. "As I stated dearest I will prove to you my intentions are pure and my own in time. Now come, I'd rather continue this conversation in the comfort of my home. I'm certain you will find it much more suitable as well. I think I may also have some clothes that will fit you until I can send my servants out in the morning to buy you a new wardrobe." Reaver said when he noticed Sparrow's corset was still wet from the drunken man's spilled ale. He offered his arm to her with a smile.

"That is unnecessary Reaver. Hannah is getting us a room at the pub as we speak and you defiantly do not need to buy me anything!" Sparrow insisted and she watched Reaver look at the pub with a nostril flared.

"I am not leaving you to the wolves while I am away darling so I am afraid I must insist. Besides I am certain the simpletons who run the place never wash the sheets on the beds. Despicable. Nothing but the best for my little Sparrow, now come." Reaver said taking her hand tenderly yet possessively and led her to his mansion. His pirates followed them close behind. Sparrow tried to pull her hand away but Reaver just strengthened his grip and hummed peacefully to himself. She glanced back at the pirates and all of them were bearing a numerous amount of weapons. Great. Just…great. Now he had the possessive love of the most deadly man in Albion and her past sworn enemy and it didn't look like he was going to be willing to let her go anytime soon. Hannah couldn't do anything with her vow of peace and Sparrow wasn't even sure if she could do anything despite. She had no doubt that Reaver would put a bullet through Hannah's skull just as easily as he had the other men tonight.

Speaking of Hannah she had finally made her way out of the pub. A glass of water in one hand and a glass of wine for Sparrow in the other. Figuring her friend could use something to calm her nerves.

"Sorry it took me so long Sparrow, I had to talk down the barkeep to a reasonable price and it was hard to hear him with all the shouting in the bloody place." Hannah said to what she now saw to be…nothing. That's where Sparrow was when she left…did something bad happen to her? "Sparrow!" she repeated. Her eyes frantically searched for her. Then she saw her being led up the hill by a man. That's not good! That can't be good! Wait…she narrowed her eyes and her heart pounded in her chest. Was that Reaver?! He's back! Hannah dropped the glasses and chased after them as fast as she could. Repeatedly saying "Oh no, oh no, oh no!" to herself. She knew she shouldn't have left her alone! Now that deviant of all people had her! Now she had to plan some kind of heroic rescue from the king of thieves. _I'm getting to old for this _Hannah thought as she raced up the hill. Thinking she really should have brought her old battle hammer with her to Albion.

A/N: Okay, I hope all of you that are reading this are enjoying. I want to thank Enchantment101 for the nice review! I really appreciate it. Thanks again everyone and feel free to give me a review to let me know what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Warning. Reaver will be a little out of character for awhile due to the love potions effects on him. Though I tried my best to keep him the scoundrel we all know and love. Hope you enjoy! Tell me what you think. Thanks for the reviews and to everyone reading! I also changed the rating to Mature just to be safe.

Before Sparrow could properly register all the events that had taken place in the past twenty four hours she was led inside of Bloodstone Manor by the notorious pirate himself. She didn't even have time to look around since Reaver's pace was almost a half run. She happened to catch the venomous look he shot every member of his staff as they passed (including the female) which caused them all to quiver and shake with fear.

Sparrow sighed. Dear Avo, what had she gotten herself into? Finally he paused in a similar surrounding that she recognized as his study. That's where she had first met him after she had survived the horrors that was Wraithmarsh. She was starting to get very nervous. She had no idea how Reaver was going to act because of the love potions spell. What was she going to do? She had to just wait until he fell asleep and sneak out or something. There was no way she was going to stay stuck in a house with a lethal pirate that was now crazy about her. Reaver let out a soft sigh and removed his coat and placed it neatly on the rack in the room. When he went back to take Sparrow's from her she shook her head and he shrugged it off. He sat in the luxurious red velvet chair behind his dark oak desk after he pulled a chair over for her to sit in. She found it odd that he placed the chair directly next to his instead of across the desk as usual. She sighed and took a seat. Going to try yet again to get through to Reaver that all of this was just some horrible mistake.

"Ah, that is much better wouldn't you say love?" Reaver smiled politely and yet again put his hand on top of hers. Sparrow resisted rolling her eyes and cleared her throat.

"Sure but like I was saying Reaver, I know this is hard to believe but a long time ago there was love potions made that actually worked. I unfortunately came across one of those and that's why you are feeling a sudden attraction to me. Now I know it's almost unbelievable but with all your years on this planet I'm sure you are willing to be open to the idea. So I appreciate all your help from tonight and your hospitality but here in about two weeks all of your feelings will disappear and we can both go back to our normal lives. In the morning myself and Hannah will be going back to Bowerstone and we will be back in time to get the cure for the potion. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding but none of this was my intention." Sparrow said in a very professional voice to show her up most seriousness. When she glanced back at Reaver he had his elbow propped on the desk with his head in his hand staring dreamily at her. Sparrow was reaching the point of screaming and breaking things in frustration. He hadn't listened to a single words she had said!

"You have amazing eyes." he smiled. Confirming he wasn't paying attention to her. Sparrow closed her eyes and counted to ten to try and keep herself from flying off the handle. Reminding herself that the men under the influence of the love potion wasn't themselves.

"Reaver, your not listening to me…" Sparrow pouted and Reaver gently gripped her chin to force her to look into his eyes. A small smile remaining on his face.

"I am listening to you dearest it's just your still rattling off nonsense about a fictional love potion. Is it so hard for you to believe you can earn the desires of men simply by being yourself? True I am an exceptional man, but one very much interested in you because you are a beautiful, powerful and smart woman. No spell is needed to see that." he smiled wider. Amazing how even a sincere smile from Reaver appeared wolf like. Despite herself Sparrow found that she was blushing over his words. Were it said from a sober mind she'd be inclined to believe it but how could she trust any man now because of this damn potion?!

"Do you take me for a liar?" Sparrow countered.

"Not at all, I just think you have been misinformed. Trust me dearest no magic could win the heart of Reaver. A sexy, shy and goodhearted heroine on the other hand, is a very different story." Reaver smirked and leaned in for a second time to give Sparrow a kiss. Sparrow scooted back in her chair to get just out of his reach. Her face was still on fire. She had…never heard anyone talk that sweetly to her. Deviant that Reaver was she had to hand it to him that he was very charming. Had she not already seen him for what he really was she probably would have given in by now but she wasn't about to let that happen. Not only him but any man that was being manipulated into feeling for her.

"Reaver…you don't even know me. Not really. In no way would you know I was any of those things you described." Sparrow defended. _Come on Reaver open your eyes! You know somewhere deep down your not in love with me! If anything you want to kill me! Come to your senses before this gets out of hand! _Sparrow pleaded in her head. She knew if this didn't end tonight it would just keep getting worse and worse. Another lovely side effect of this cursed potion. Reaver tsked and winked at her.

"Well that is not true at all. Any man with eyes can see how sexy you are, I know you are shy because of that lovely shade of pink your cheeks have turned when I said the word "sexy", I know you are goodhearted because of your generous decision at the spire, and I know that you are smart because you somehow managed to keep your youth and beauty after I sent you to the shadow court. Which I am very thankful for now I assure you." Reaver smiled triumphantly. Sparrow's face changed quickly to sorrow. Why on earth did he have to bring up _that?_ The worst crime she had ever committed. Not a day went by that she didn't dwell on that choice. She was so close to finally getting her revenge on Lucien and she was so desperate to achieve that she shoved the stupid dark seal into the other villagers hands at the last second. Begging for her forgiveness and understanding. She stood there and watched in horror as the once young and vibrant young lady withered away into an old croon in a matter of seconds. She burst into tears and ran off before she could have a chance to figure out a way to help her. She would never forgive herself or _him_ for that.

"That doesn't make me smart. If anything that makes me selfish and not a goodhearted person at all. Thank you for reminding me of my darkest hour." Sparrow said bitterly and refused to look at him again. She wasn't going to engage in this and let him think for a second that he had a chance with her. Reaver frowned and got up from his seat to walk over to her side. Kneeling down to her level. When she turned her head in the opposite direction he sighed but spoke softly to her anyway.

"Sometimes we all have to be a little selfish Sparrow. With all the hundreds upon thousands of lives you have saved you don't think that letting one go for your own health and well being is fair? If anything rest your pretty little head in knowing the fault lied with me and not you. I sincerely apologize for putting you in that position but do you honestly think you are the first adventurer to knock on my door pleading my assistance in some ludicrous escapade due to my exceptional skill? It got ever so tiresome. So I took it upon myself to start sending the sods as my sacrifices in hope that word would spread and I would be ridded of unknowns knocking on my door all hours of the day. I hope you take my apology to heart because I would not say it if I didn't mean it."

Sparrow let out a slow and shaky breath. In a way she really did want to believe him. Especially his point about all the good she has done versus her one horrible deed. She couldn't think that way, the minute one life became meaningless to her that meant she was just as bad as her enemies. No one except the sheriff of old Bowerstone remembered her sister yet that one person meant the world to her. And that woman she let become a sacrifice over herself meant the world to someone too.

"Now lets put these dark subjects behind us and look forward to a wondrous future hmm? Ah yes I had almost forgotten. Come with me and we will get you changed into something more comfortable." Reaver said in his upbeat mood once again. He grabbed her hand and hoisted her from her seat then drug her out of the study. "I will have my servants prepare us some coffee and some pudding after you are finished." Reaver added cheerfully.

"Reaver none of this is necessary." Sparrow countered getting sick of being told what she wanted.

"It's no trouble at all dear."

"I am not a child Reaver I don't need to be led by hand." Sparrow said after she tried for the third time to yank her hand away from him. He ignored her and continued to lead her to his bedroom. Once inside Sparrow became even more nervous. She noted the massive bed he had in there and that is could hold at least four people comfortably. She started to gather that Reaver was fond of red when she noticed the bed was covered in a thick red wool blanket. Hmm, his bedroom was actually really nice. It even had a fireplace like hers had. She did roll her eyes when she saw the full length mirror propped on the wall however. That shouldn't be surprising since he was so narcissistic but at least there wasn't a portrait of him in there like the hallways that were decorated with them. She watched him look through his wardrobe with a concentrated look on his face. Truth was he had a few female outfits that some lovers had left behind over the years but he was sure that wasn't a good move to give his potential love interest. All of them weren't good enough for his Sparrow anyway. She wasn't a whore so she shouldn't be dressed as one. He found something suitable for her and turned back around gleefully.

"It's not very flattering but it will do for the night. Like I stated my servants will buy you some new clothes in the morning." he said politely and handed Sparrow a plain white button up shirt. Sparrow was growing to tired to argue with him and reluctantly took the shirt from him. She waited for him to leave but he just stood there staring at her with the same cocky smile.

"Do you mind?" Sparrow huffed. She was getting really sick of Reaver's games.

"Not at all love."

"You know my meaning." Sparrow said in the most dangerous tone she could muster considering how drained she was. Reaver chuckled and moved to the door with his back turned to her but not exiting. Sparrow sighed and figured that was the best she was going to get out of him. She set her sword then guns on the floor which she worried she would regret. To insure she wasn't going to be seen she turned her back to him then undid her corset. Letting out a soft moan once the pressure was relieved. Unknown to her Reaver's eyes had shifted to the mirror on the wall. Allowing him the perfect image of what he was waiting to see. She really was perfect. Excellent. He tried to contain his excitement but it was difficult. He felt almost drawn to her. When Sparrow buttoned the last button on the shirt she sighed. Now what was going to happen? After a few more moments of just standing there Reaver cleared his throat and asked,

"May I turn around now dearest?"

"Yes." she said simply. When he turned back around Sparrow automatically saw that lustful gleam in his eyes and she started to feel uneasy. She knew she shouldn't have set her weapons on the floor when she changed. She was strong but for all she knew Reaver was stronger and could even over power her. She didn't know if Reaver would ever go that far but with the potion driving him further who knew what could happen. He took small steps towards her.

"I withdraw my previous statement. You look absolutely ravishing in my shirt I must say." Reaver smiled and got really close to her. Placing his hand right above her hip.

"Thanks…I'm ready to go back down stairs now if you are…" Sparrow said awkwardly and again it appeared like Reaver wasn't paying attention to her. His eyes were to busy staring at the opening in the shirt revealing her cleavage. Though the shirt in length went all the way down past her thighs. Adorable.

"But why? This is my favorite room after all. Would you like to find out why?" Reaver mused and leaned in to kiss her again but this time not to her lips but to her neck. It startled Sparrow but she gently pushed him off of her again and he clearly looked disappointed. He chuckled anyway. Poor thing was shaking. "No need to be nervous love. Just relax. I can show you how much I care for you, pet."

Sparrow clenched her fist and completely prepared herself to sock Reaver in the face if need be. It was obvious he had no concept of personal space or what inappropriate touching was. When he moved to kiss her again a loud knock on his door interrupted. The look of fury was apparent on his face and he stomped over to the door. He had specifically told his staff not to bother him tonight especially in his private corridors. He lunged the door open and the poor servant flinched and averted his eyes from his master. Doing his best to prevent his legs from shaking.

"What is it Derrick?" Reaver said bitterly. His hand moving closer to his dragonstomper expecting some kind of inadequate answer and he was ready to punish him properly.

"F-forgive me my lord I didn't mean to disturb you. It's just there is a visitor for you downstairs that is very insistent upon seeing you." the servant Derrick responded and winced incase he had angered his master. Reaver let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed his temple. He had non stop "business" to attend to since he had arrived back in Albion. None had ever approached him this late in the evening however. Sparrow perked up when she had heard what the servant had said. Was it Hannah? She wasn't sure if she should feel happy if it was or even more nervous. Quietly she reached down and pulled one of her pistols from her holster and stuck it in her belt to hide it. Ready to rush to Hannah's aid if need be. Staring at a lake didn't seem so boring now. Ugh.

"Who the bloody hell could that be?" Reaver grumbled mostly to himself. He turned back around to Sparrow with a sharp smile on his face.

"Excuse me but a moment dearest. Now stay right there until I get back." Reaver said with a wink then left the room closing the door behind him. In the hallway he grabbed Derrick before he was able to scamper away.

"Prepare a tray of sweets and coffee immediately. Also Derrick, inform all the other male servants not to so much as lay eyes on my little Sparrow from this moment on. If she needs assistance the maids are to tend to her. Is that understood Derrick?" Reaver said as he straightened the boys collar for him. He said it politely but Derrick knew how much venom that was laced in his words. He nodded frantically.

"Yes master, of course master." he said in a low bow then ran off to the kitchen to quickly prepare the food and coffee Reaver asked for. Meanwhile Sparrow had snuck out of the bedroom to find another room with a window to try and see for herself if it was Hannah at the door. If so she had to come up with a plan to save her if things got violent. She found another bedroom that had a window showing the front yard perfectly. She grimaced when she saw Hannah standing on the front steps arguing with the two guards standing watch over the front doors. Sparrow sighed and pushed the black curtain out of the window so that she can get a better view. Thank dear Avo, above when the curtain moved Hannah caught a glimpse of Sparrow in the window. Hannah was relieved to see that she was okay but she wasn't about to let her stay in this house another second. Reaver opened the front door and huffed when he saw who his "visitor" was.

"Oh it's you." Reaver said annoyed. Hardly the person he wanted to see at the moment. Anytime the overly large woman spoke it gave him an agonizing headache. He wondered why Sparrow would waste her time hanging around a brute like her.

"Where is she Reaver?! I'm not leaving here without her!" Hannah yelled. Now wanting more then ever to have her trusty hammer back at her side. The narcissistic pirate deserved a hard smack from it if anyone did. Just seeing his smug face sent her into a rage. Pompous prick.

"She is safe and with me. That is all you need know." Reaver said impatiently. Wondering if he could salvage his standings with Sparrow if he just ended the monks life then and there. Probably not. Pity.

"No that is not all I need know, you wanker! Bring Sparrow to me now! We are leaving! We are going home in the morning and far away from _you!_"

"I hate to inform you madam but Sparrow is home now. You however are free to crawl back to whatever corner of the world you came from. I will send Sparrow your regards."

"Reaver, you are under the influence of a very powerful spell. You need to let me take Sparrow away from here until we make it right." Hannah pleaded and she watched him roll his blue eyes in aggravation.

"Are you the one who filled her head with this nonsense of love potions and spells? I will tell you the same thing I told her. There is no such thing as a love potion. The idea is ludicrous and quite frankly starting to become insulting. I know it is unusual for me to be fascinated with only one woman but it is so. Rest assured that your dear friend is in the very best of hand. Something she would be enjoying right now were it not for your intrusion."

"Reaver it is an actual potion, the alchemist said-" Hannah started to explain but Reaver held out his hand to her.

"Enough. I have had my fill of talk of mythical potions for one lifetime. Now leave my home now before I lose my patience." Reaver said turning around to close the door behind him. Hannah moved to chase after him but both of the guards cut off her path. Pulling out their swords in warning. Hannah gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. What could she do? She swore not to ever attack another human being and even if she wanted to or was forced to she was unarmed.

"She will never love you Reaver!" Hannah shouted in fury. It caused Reaver to pause in his tracks with his hand firmly on the door knob. His eye twitched in suppressed anger and he had to try and calm himself before he killed the stupid cow. No. He had to do everything right this time. He couldn't risk losing Sparrow over a worthless slag like her. "You can't keep her here! You can act as fake and sweet as you want to around her but never forget she knows who you really are! You are a lying, manipulative and bloodthirsty murderer! You don't deserve her, now or even without the love potion and you know it! Try your best and it will still do you no good, eventually she will get away from you and we will get as far away from you as humanly possible and there is nothing you can do about it!"

Reaver stood in the doorway for a few seconds before slowly turning around and taking steps towards Hannah. She was a little intimated now. The look in Reaver's eyes looked purely predatory. He moved as close to Hannah as he possibly could. His guards being the only thing separating the two. He glared down at Hannah and whispered.

"Don't underestimate the things that I will do." His voice was so low she almost had to strain to hear him. She shivered involuntarily. Those eyes of his was what made him intimidating. She was almost sure he hadn't even blinked. "And you have no idea just how murderous I can be. I pity anyone who tries to take her away from me. That includes you."

Hannah regained her courage and her eyes briefly flashed up to Sparrow that was still standing in the window. She must be so confused and scared. This was all her fault her friend was here. She couldn't leave her alone with him! Who knows what he would do to her?

"I swear Reaver if you touch her-"

"You will what?"

Reaver mused. Hannah stared daggers at him but remained silent. Satisfied with her response he turned back around and his hand firmly grasped the handle of his pistol.

"This conversation is over, unless you wish to press the matter further. Trust me I really wish you would." Reaver said with his back to her. Hannah eyed that his hand was still on his pistol and she let out a defeated sigh. She had to regroup and figure out a different plan. She turned to make her way back down the hill. After she was out of earshot Reaver ordered

"She shows her face here again, kill her. Be sure to be quiet about it."

Reaver closed the door behind him and propped his weight on the door for a few minutes. Letting out an exasperated sigh. The annoying monks words had struck a nerve with him. He hadn't considered the idea of Sparrow not returning his affection. It had never happened before. He had some damage control to do but surely that would be easy once she saw how good he could be to her. The woman won't want for anything. He pushed his doubts to the back of his mind and walked to find his servants. They had had time to prepare something decent by now surely.

Upstairs Sparrow rushed back to Reaver's bedroom. She found a decorative chair in the corner and pulled it to the center of the room to act as though she had been sitting there the whole time. Though she couldn't hear the conversation she could tell it didn't go well. Looks like she was on her own. She decided the best course of action was to wait until she knew Reaver was asleep and sneak out. Hopefully she would find Hannah rather quickly and she was even willing to go through Wraithmarsh to get home. She would just have to make sure Hannah was protected. Soon enough Reaver came back into the room balancing a tray eloquently.

"Sorry about that darling, won't happen again." Reaver said then placed the tray on the night stand. Sparrow eyed the tray with interest. Her tummy growled a little. She was starving but she really didn't want to keep engaging him. She got up from her chair and headed over to the tray of food. Wow. There was a wide variety of choices for her. She saw a few pieces of cake, some strawberries, little blocks of chocolate, cut up bananas, apples, macadamia nuts, mini fruit tarts, blueberries and two mugs of coffee with all the fixings including sugar and cream. Sparrow was a little surprised since she expected some sandwiches or something. She sighed a "Thank you" in politeness and grabbed a few strawberries and some chocolate then moved back to her chair. Hoping that would be a well enough hint that she wanted to be left alone. Unfortunately that wasn't the case and he lightly took her hand again and pulled her to sit on the bed where he took a seat beside her.

"Not at all my love. Would you like me to prepare your coffee for you? How do you like it?" Sparrow blushed. She was not used to being around any man this long, especially one that was "interested" in her. He did seem to be going out of his way to be nice to her but she kept it in her head that this wasn't really him. It couldn't be. His eyes never seemed to leave her and she was getting extremely uncomfortable. After she swallowed the bite of strawberry she had took she answered.

"Um, I think I would much rather go to bed after I'm done eating."

"I understand. It is really late, and you did travel a far distance. Just make yourself comfortable darling. I should join you after a couple of cups of brandy."

"I will not be getting a bed of my own?" Sparrow said appalled after she almost choked on her second strawberry.

"Why would you want one? This is the best bed in the house and of course I will be in it so what more could you want?" Reaver smirked. Sparrow was not about to let that happen.

"I am not sleeping in here with you tonight Reaver. If you wish for me to stay I will at least be needing my own room. I'm not the type of girl that just stays the night in a man she barely knows bed." Sparrow said firmly then grumbled "I don't want you to try and rape me in my sleep or something." she meant to keep that last part to herself but it just slipped out. When she glanced back at Reaver he looked…sad? That was odd to see on the overly confident males face. She wondered if she had went to far but she'd by lying if it wasn't a genuine concern. Reaver sighed and frowned.

"I would _never _do that to you or anyone." he said and even his voice sounded melancholy. "I am a evil man Sparrow, I will not deny it. One deserving of the most brutal punishment in the underworld but _that _is a crime I will forever have clean on my slate. I find it the most condemning thing that anyone can do. Yes I am forward. I see what I want and I go for it, but if you deny me it will end there. I wouldn't force you to do anything. I hope that is understood."

Sparrow felt even more awkward, and kind of bad. Reaver seemed to truly be offended by the accusation and it wasn't her intention but she didn't know where the line was drawn with him. Guess now she knew. She felt his hand on top of hers again.

"Please try and think better of me Sparrow." he said sincerely and then got up from the bed to lead her to one of the spare bedrooms. Ironically enough it was the bedroom that she had spied on him through the window. She felt guilty now since he hadn't really spoken or looked at her since they left his bedroom. Even after he left her alone in the room to gather up her things on his own. She swallowed her pride and spoke softly.

"I am sorry if I offended you, but I don't know you very well and you have a reputation for doing wicked things. I won't make any other snap judgments about you."

"It's quite alright dear. I could care less what any of these miserable peasants think of me, but I really don't want you to have a bad opinion of me." Reaver explained and seemed to perk up after that. She laid down on the bed and in a blink he bent down and kissed her temple sweetly. She blushed again but sunk down into the covers to hide it. What was she a fifteen year old girl? Reaver smiled again and pet her head before turning to leave.

"Goodnight my darling. I will see you in the morning." he was almost out of the door until he turned around after he remembered something. "Oh and I will be needing to know your favorite foods to pass along to my chefs. So we can discuss that in the morning."

"Why…?" Sparrow asked in an obvious confused tone.

"Silly girl, they will need to know what to prepare for you everyday and I want it to be something of your preference."

"I am not staying here forever Reaver. Just for tonight."

Reaver sighed again then moved back to sit on the edge of the bed. Sparrow kept her face hidden with the blanket but still was prepared to listen to him.

"I know how skeptical you are Sparrow so can you at least allow me a few days to convince you otherwise. That is all I am asking. If you decide you have no interest in me in that time still then you are free to go. Can you give me that much?" Sparrow sighed and felt obligated since his voice was ringing with sincerity. She figured she should agree just to keep things pleasant.

"I can."

"Excellent. See you in the morning my love."

When he left she waited until his footsteps faded before jumping out of bed and locking the door. She flopped back into the bed and screamed in her pillow. His last words "my love" made her stomach churn. He really must have thought he was in love with her or else he wouldn't be acting this way. Bastard that Reaver may be she didn't want to be responsible for hurting him. Maybe physically but not emotionally. Bruises and broken bones heal but you can carry around a broken heart for years. She truly didn't want this to happen. Not to him nor to anyone else. She cuddled up to one of the extra pillows and rested her eyes. Who was she kidding, she was far to tired to sneak out right away. Knowing her luck she would sleep until morning anyway but her body was screaming for her to get some sleep. All well. Maybe she should slip some of the love potion to some trick then Reaver would be all over her instead. She finally drifted off into a slumber. One she did not enjoy for very long. A quiet tapping awoke her and when she jumped forward in her bed she was surprised to see Hannah's face bobbing up and down in the window. As quietly as possible she rushed over to the window and opened it.

"What are you doing?!" Sparrow whispered fiercely then peered over to the guards at the door. Luckily the two seemed to be to distracted with there own conversation to notice.

"Well I had to talk to you somehow! Reaver wouldn't let me in!" Hannah whispered back.

"What are you standing on?!"

"An old latter I found behind the pub. Wasn't quite tall enough but I guess this is an instance my height comes in handy." Sparrow noticed she was standing on the very top step of the latter and knowing how clumsy Hannah was she had to hurry.

"Wait right there. Let me grab my things and I will go with you."

"Actually Sparrow I wanted to talk to you about that. Maybe it is best you stay here." Sparrow's jaw dropped in complete shock.

"What are you talking about? Have you gone mad?!"

"Not at all Sparrow think about it." Hannah said trying to explain her point and keep her balance at the same time. "Every man here is horribly terrified of Reaver. If you stay here at least you don't have to worry about someone else seeing you and bugging out."

"You expect me to stay with the pirate for two weeks?!"

"It's better then sneaking off and worrying about running into him again after the two weeks is up and we come back for the antidote! Then for all you know he very well may force you to stay here with him."

Sparrow groaned. She did have a point but two weeks of Reaver? She didn't know if she could handle that. Plus all it would do is lead him on and make him think she was falling for him. Ugh. She wondered if the heroes of old ever had to worry about stupid stuff like this.

"I suppose your right, but I don't want to go without seeing you in that time. This may be your only visit to Albion and I don't want this nonsense to be our last memory together."

"Well the thief isn't my biggest fan that's for sure but all you gotta do is bat those eyelashes of yours and he will do whatever you say! Your missing a huge opportunity here Sparrow. This is your perfect chance to get back at him for what he did to you!"

Sparrow raised an eyebrow. Hannah had always critiqued her yearning for vengeance in the past. Saying how if she got caught up in it she would lose herself. She didn't really see how she could get revenge on Reaver just because he was supposedly in love with her.

"What's your meaning?"

"I mean he is so hopelessly devoted to you right now so you can get anything out of him! I'm saying bleed the sod dry, we get the antidote and leave him a heart broken and less wealthy fool. It's not as though we didn't warn him. So I say get what you can from him and then get away."

Sparrow considered this. She didn't care for the idea but wasn't it about time _someone _made him pay for all that he had gotten away with for what, hundreds of years now? She would have to think it over. What she had to accept first and foremost was that it was a better idea to stay put until she got the antidote. The day it was finished she would disappear and hopefully that would be the end of this madness. If she decided to milk him for all that he was worth along the way was yet to be seen. Anything considering love or feelings was foreign to her.

"Fine. I guess I'm stuck here. I will talk to Reaver and make sure we still spend time together. Your about my only saving grace in all this." Sparrow sighed and closed her eyes.

"Don't worry Sparrow we will make it through this. Might even laugh about it one day." Hannah said then it registered to her what Sparrow was wearing.

"Is that his shirt?!" Hannah asked with her mouth agape. Sparrow rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

"It's not what you think! Now go Hannah before you are seen. Hopefully I will see you tomorrow."

After they said their goodbyes she shut the window tight. She lingered for a few minutes to make sure Hannah made it away safely. She considered reopening it since she missed the nice cool nights breeze on her face and it seemed like she always awoke in the middle of the night burning up. The nightmares didn't help either. She decided to keep it closed and before she fell back asleep she tucked one of her pistols underneath her pillow for some extra insurance. She tried to think of reasons or excuses to get away from Reaver as often as possible as she drifted back to sleep. At least she knew Reaver wouldn't be forceful with her. If anything…he had been pleasant. To bad none of it was real. She liked the love entranced Reaver much better then the usual one. Hopefully he won't be as much of a pompous arrogant jerk because of it too. That would make having to stay there a little easier.

When morning came she was awoken by a strange ruffling sound in her room. Someone had broken into her room! She kept her eyes clutched tight as she slowly slide her hand under her pillow to grip her clockwork pistol. Once she pulled the hammer down she shot up in the bed and aimed her gun at the intruder! Her vision was a little blurry but from what she could make it was a young girl who in panic dropped to her knees and pleaded.

"I am so sorry my lady I didn't mean to wake you!"

Sparrow let out a sigh of relief and lowered her pistol. For a moment she had almost forgotten where she was. Anyone in her room at her house was there to attempt to kill her. She probably startled the poor girl to death and in hind sight she probably shouldn't react that way anytime she heard a noise but hey better safe then sorry.

"How did you get in here? I locked the door last night." Sparrow said with a stretch. She felt much more refreshed now. She looked over to the window and saw the sun shining brightly. So much so it started to burn her eyes. It had to be almost noon now. She wondered how long it had been since she slept in that late? She was usually up with the sun each morning.

"Sorry madam. We have a key to all the guest bedrooms, I was just putting out all your new clothes for you to chose from when you woke up." the maid said gesturing to the dresser where a neat stack of clothes was laid out on top of it. Sparrow sighed and walked over to the dresser.

"I told him not to." she pouted. She looked over to the maid and saw that she was probably in her early twenties with neat brunette braided hair. She was wearing a black dress that went down to her knees. An apron over top of it. She was a few inches taller then her but that wasn't surprising. Sparrow was pretty short even for a woman. The girl shrugged.

"I am just doing as I am told madam. Sorry if I have upset you." she said with her head bowed. Sparrow scoffed.

"Enough with the formalities, my name is Sparrow, please address me as much. What's your name?"

"Carrie, my lady."

Sparrow rolled her eyes at the continued formality but decided not to address it. She looked at all the clothes that was now sitting on top of the dresser. Hm. Not bad, she didn't think you could get this kind of clothes in Bloodstone. There was some nice blouses and one or two dresses. She grimaced when not a single pair of pants were there. Along with skirts of both long and short variety she saw a pair of shorts that would have to make due. Dresses and skirts really weren't her cup of tea. At the bottom of the pile was a few outfits that she assumed was lingerie, one of which that left little to the imagination. She huffed and immediately shoved those in a drawer. He wishes.

"Do they please you madam?" Carrie asked when Sparrow was done looking through all the outfits.

"I suppose. I don't know really, the clothes I usually set out to buy are decided by how easy I think I can get blood out of them." Sparrow chuckled. Realizing yet again she had no "lady like" clothes to her name. Guess Reaver took care of her need to go shopping. A thought came across her mind and she turned back to Carrie.

"Is Reaver awake?"

"No my lady. He didn't get to his own bed until late last night. He usually sleeps until early evening when that happens. I'm sure he won't mind if you woke him if you wanted."

"That's quite alright." Sparrow sighed. Maybe she could sneak off to the inn to see how Hannah's night was in the meantime.

"Before he retired he gave us specific directions to make sure you were well attended to. Including doing a few personal errands for him like getting your clothes. So if you wish to stay awake madam, I would like to give you the rest of your gifts." Carrie said with a smile. Sparrow sighed. More? She shrugged and Carrie skipped out of the room. When she returned she had a bouquet of red stemmed roses in a vase. Sparrow sighed

"What is this nonsense?" she murmured to herself. When Carrie handed her the vase she looked at the bouquet. What was odd, was in the center of the bouquet was a different colored rose. It looked stiff and it looked like it was made out of gold.

"What's with the one in the center?" Sparrow asked aloud mostly to herself. Carrie giggled then jumped up and down.

"I was hoping you would ask! It's dipped in gold! Had to get the jeweler to make it special. Master Reaver said that the rose symbolized love and beauty and he wanted to immortalize one for you. The gold actually preserves the rose and he wanted you to have one that never died."

"That's…really…sweet." she said and smiled at the bouquet. She didn't know Reaver had it in him to be so romantic. Was that the right word? She never had a man give her a single rose before let alone a bouquet that held a gold dipped one. She shook her head. Ignore it Sparrow. He didn't truly mean it.

"My boyfriend never gets me flowers…" Carrie sighed. Sparrow looked over to her and frowned.

"Reaver is **not** my boyfriend." Sparrow said clearly. She was certain everyone in the house saw them as a couple but it very much wasn't so.

"If you don't mind me saying Miss Sparrow I think he wants to be." Carrie smiled. Sparrow shook her head again.

"He doesn't rea-" Sparrow started but stopped herself. Not wanting to go through explaining everything again. "…Never mind."

"Well my lady can I get you something else?"

"No thank you."

"I can draw you a bath if you would like?"

"Um…"

A bath did sound nice. She hated that she kept accepting all this stuff Reaver offered but if she was going to try and stay there for two weeks what was she supposed to do not bathe? Hm, might keep Reaver off of her at least. After some thought she agreed and Carrie happily rushed over to one of the bathrooms to prepare Sparrow's bath for her. In the mean time Sparrow gathered up her makeup and picked a blue blouse that had gold trim around the V neck line in a whispy smoke like pattern and the pair of black shorts (that was longer then her current pair so bonus there) to take to the bathroom. Deciding it was a bad idea to walk around in just a towel when there was random male servants walking around and they would be effected by the spell.

When Carrie informed her that the bath was she ready asked Sparrow what she wanted for breakfast and after jotting it to memory she showed Sparrow the way to the bathroom. Sparrow was surprised to see in the water was floating rose petals in the massive sized tub. Sitting on the edge of the tub was an assortment of scented soaps and oils. Not only was there lit oil lamps in the bathroom but Carrie had lit a delightful smelling incense, the scent of which she couldn't place. There also was a half full glass of white wine sitting on the sink waiting for her. Wow…maybe spending two weeks here wouldn't be so torturous. She placed her belongings next to the tub and grabbed the glass of wine before unchanging. When she stuck her toe in the water she braced expecting it to be stone cold. Instead the water was nice and warm. No wonder it took Carrie so long to prepare it. She slowly emerged herself in the water and let out a soft moan. The warm water started loosening her tense muscles and the feeling was exceptional. She took a couple of sips of wine to take the rest of the edge off. She hadn't relaxed like this in years.

That guilty feeling took over again. Here she was sipping wine in a heated bath and Hannah was stuck in some dirty inn sleeping on a probably broken bed. Still she was enjoying herself. She enjoyed the scent of the roses and the incense. Taking her to a nice calm place. After she had cleaned herself properly and scrubbed off all her makeup it smelled even more heavenly with all the combination of scents. It was almost overwhelming. She stayed in the tub for a little while longer. Wondering if she should consider this whole nightmare as a somewhat vacation at this point. She laid her head back on the edge of the tub and sighed again. Reminding herself not to get wrapped up in it. Though she was certain if Reaver was ever truly interested in a lady he would have no problem getting her. Sparrow being the only exception of course…


	4. Chapter 4

Day one.

After Sparrow changed and applied her makeup she lingered in the bathroom for awhile. Staring at herself in the mirror and letting out slow calming breathes. She couldn't avoid Reaver all day. Nor could she stay hidden in the bathroom either. She wondered why she was trying so hard to avoid hurting the man who would have been perfectly content to let her age into an old lady so he could keep his own youth. It only made sense to get back at him right? Guess she really was to much of a "goody goody". After a sigh and she straightened up a bit she exited the bathroom. Wondering if she should just retreat back into her bedroom and lock the door. Move the dresser in front of it if need be. Before she made it to her room Carrie came skipping happily over to her. Sparrow noted that she was wearing heels so she wondered how she could walk properly in them let alone skip all the time.

"Lady Sparrow your breakfast is ready if you are?" she again sounded very cheery and good natured. She did know where she was working right? Sparrow shrugged.

"It's okay. I was probably going to go read or something…" She answered and she watched Carrie smile wide to her.

"Not a problem Lady Sparrow. I will bring you a book to read as you eat in the dining room. No trouble at all."

Feeling defeated Sparrow followed the overly eager maid to the said dining room. It like every other room she had visited looked immaculate. A small crystal chandelier hung above a long mahogany table that could fit about eight people. A nice couple of windows lit the room well and in the middle of the table a few white scented candles were lit as well. What did Reaver need all this nice stuff for? She was fairly wealthy herself but she didn't have a half the stuff he had because she like him was single and without children. Must be because of all the parties he threw. She sat down at the table and the moment she hit the chair her plate along with a glass of juice was placed in front of her. She turned to thank them but the other maids scampered away as fast as they could back into the kitchen before she could. That was strange. She looked down at the plate in front of her and she couldn't help but get excited. It was a huge stack of pancakes that was garnished with blueberries. A syrup decanter was set next to the plate and to her surprise the syrup was still warm. She loved blueberry pancakes but she didn't expect to actually get them.

After she looked around real quick to make sure she wasn't being watched she grabbed her fork and knife and devoured them. It being the first solid meal she had had in days. She let out a satisfied sigh then took three large gulps from her juice. Nice. She felt much better now. She had a bath, fresh new clothes, her favorite breakfast…she didn't know if she could have had a better morning if she was at her own home. Carrie came back over to her and she saw the empty plate with only a few scraps and a single blueberry and smiled.

"Goodness you must have been hungry. Here's you a book to read. It's only one I found that I thought you might like." Carrie explained and she handed Sparrow a tiny book that couldn't have been more then two hundred pages. Carrie put her hands behind her back and did a small curtsey. "Can I get you anything else Miss Sparrow?"

"No Carrie I am fine. You really don't need to cater to me you know. I can take care of myself." Sparrow answered knowing she was just doing her job but it was starting to become irksome. Carrie did a low bow and she left Sparrow alone in the dining room. After Sparrow let out another sigh she cracked open the book. Once she read the title she groaned and slammed the book down on the table. It was one of those stupid romance novels and that was the _last _thing she wanted to read about at the moment. No romance for the rest of her life was defiantly a better option. She got up and decided to do some exploring. She remembered seeing a few bookshelves in Reaver's study and she decided she would try and find something more suitable to read. Yet when she got to the studies door it was locked. Hm that was weird. That door had remained open most of the time she had been there in the past so the fact it was closed and locked was a little peculiar. Then again everything about this situation was odd so a locked door was the least of her worries.

She felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist and she jumped a bit before she realized it was Reaver. Which didn't necessarily calm her either. He laid his chin on her shoulder and pulled her into a warm embrace. He would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid she was going to try and run off in the middle of the night. He exhaled and smiled.

"How was your morning darling?" he asked as though the two were already a couple and one that had been together for years. Sparrow smiled. What was she supposed to say? Dreadful? It really was a lot better then she had first expected it to be.

"It was great actually." she mumbled and Reaver let her go. Allowing her to turn around to face him.

"Excellent, I was hoping so." Reaver reached out a brushed a stray hair out of her face and Sparrow looked away. "Hm. I must commend my maid, you look ravishing darling. I take it the clothes were to your liking?"

"Most of them." Sparrow said simply remembering the scandalous lingerie that had been thrown into the mix. Sparrow was surprised to notice Reaver wasn't wearing his usual attire. Instead he was in a black silk button up shirt and black gentlemen's trousers. A white silk bow tied neatly around his collar. He still looked eloquent but Sparrow actually preferred the simplicity of the look over all the usual garb he had on all the time. When her eyes went back up to meet his he was smirking when he realized she was staring. Sparrow looked away again and her cheeks turned that rosy color he loved so much. If only it was out of ecstasy and not embarrassment.

"Like what you see?" he couldn't help but ask just to see her turn an even darker shade. He chuckled and gently moved her chin to look up at him. "Darling I have a wonderful evening planned for the two of us. Go get ready, we will be leaving without more ado."

"Where are we going?" Sparrow asked cautiously. Any scenario she had thought of before now, where she was being led somewhere by Reaver was not a pleasant affair. Reaver smiled and tsked as he wagged his finger back and forth in front of her.

"Patience love. I am not about to ruin a surprise."

Sparrow sighed and moved past him to go to her bedroom. Deciding the only thing she needed to get to be ready was her weapons. As she walked away she heard Reaver unlock the study's door then go inside. Closing the door behind him. She paused. Why did he wait for her to leave before going inside? Did the love potion wear off quicker then they thought it would and now he's just playing it up to try and get her alone? Now she was extremely suspicious. She ran the rest of the way to her room to put her holster back where it belonged, on her hips. She checked each of her clockwork pistols to make sure they were loaded. She threw her boots on, which didn't really go with her outfit but she never really cared before, so why start now? She pulled her hair into a high ponytail so it wouldn't be in her face, incase she had to fight. She put her earrings back in and ran back to the study where Reaver was patiently waiting for her.

His smile faded when he saw the holster and pistols on her hips. He chuckled anyway.

"I meant put on your shoes or fix your hair but grabbing your weapons works just as well I suppose."

"You have yours." Sparrow countered and gestured towards his dragonstomper. She wondered if she had ever seen him without it. Then again it was rare she was seen without her sword so she really couldn't condemn him for that. Still she wasn't about to be unarmed around him anytime soon.

"True. Well off we go then." Reaver said and offered his arm to her. Sparrow just blinked at him and he shrugged then continued into his study. Sparrow held her breath as soon as she entered. Expecting there to be fifty armed and angry pirates waiting in there or something. Looking around she saw that everything looked the same. The only difference being the secret passage way he had in there was now open. That did not ease her suspicions. He grabbed a rather large satchel from his desk and threw it over his shoulder before heading towards the passageway. When they got to the edge Reaver turned to her and said "Watch your step dear." before turning to jump down. Here we go again. Just like before. She had no idea why he was practically making her relive one of the awful moments in her life. With a sigh she jumped and closed her eyes on the way down, as she always did. Ever since her tiny body went crashing down from Bowerstone castle that fatal night she had a fear of falling and a small fear of heights.

She prepared for the impact of her feet hitting the ground but it never came. Instead she opened one eye carefully and when she looked up she saw Reaver smiling down at her. He had caught her from the fall and was now holding her almost bridal style. She blushed and squirmed to try and get down. With a soft laugh Reaver placed her gently on her feet. Where Sparrow quickly straightened up and scoffed.

"That was unnecessary."

"Couldn't have you hurt yourself, could I dearest?" Reaver smirked then continued down the beaten path. Leaving Sparrow to huff and follow. It's not like she could get back up easily on her own. So now she was stuck following the man she was certain was about to lead her to her death. Maybe here was where he was planning the ambush. She let her eyes fill with her surroundings. Looking behind every rock and crate they passed. Reaver was humming quietly to himself.

"Ah this brings back some great memories does it not? We made a fantastic team that day Sparrow." Reaver said cheerfully. Mostly to break the silence. It was amazing how he could barely differentiate the Sparrow from his memory to the one walking alongside him. She looked the same. Maybe there were some benefits to walking in the light as she did. He wondered if Sparrow had done anything truly horrible in her entire life. Anything selfish or unmoral. No, probably not. She must have a truly strong will. Almost commendable if it wasn't so boring. He was certain there was much more to her then the hero side. He was determined to get to the bottom of it. Sparrow rolled her eyes and groaned.

"You say great, I say unfortunate."

A loud thud happened to the left of her and she immediately drew her pistol and pointed it towards the sound. She sighed in relief when she realized it was just a chunk of the caves ceiling falling to the ground. She slowly put her pistol back into her holster and moved to catch up with Reaver who was waiting on her, wearing a disappointed frown.

"I really wish you trusted me enough to not have to have a weapon with you. I will never bring you harm again Sparrow. I've already informed you this. If anything was down here that was hazardous, I could protect you." Reaver said and his voice sounded annoyed which she actually preferred to his almost entranced one. It made him sound like a human still and not some kind of zombie to the love potions spell. Hm. So she could still irritate him huh?

"I can protect myself Reaver. I don't need you, or anyone else for that." Sparrow said in the most hateful tone she could muster and walked past him. Maybe she could go the old fashioned way of making him not like her by just being a bitch. Even the most patient man in the world grows tired of it eventually. Reaver smiled and caught up with her.

"I know you can. It's one of those intriguing qualities of yours. Though I maintain you couldn't be any safer then with me by your side."

Sparrow remained silent. She never considered that. She always saw him as more of an enemy then a ally. One of the problems she had in finding a stable relationship was the fact she almost desired a man that was stronger then her. Though that was almost impossible to find. She wanted to feel protected in the cold loneliness of the night instead of having to sleep with her sword next to her or a gun under her pillow. As cliché as it sounded isn't that what every little girl wanted when they grew up? Some knight in shining armor to come and save her from some rouge bandits or horrible beast. Sparrow's reality usually involved her saving herself from those situations then going home to bandage herself alone. Dear Avo, now she was sounding pathetic. She was a strong independent woman, there was nothing wrong with that. Several women were inspired by her. She always had to be that way. Though…Reaver may not be stronger then her but he was probably pretty close considering he was a hero. She would _never _admit it out loud but he was miles ahead of her in skill. By the time she could even grip the handle of her pistol his would be drawn and four to five shots already fired. She noticed that the last time they were in this very passageway. Maybe he could keep her safe... _No Sparrow don't think that way! He's nothing to you. Besides your not a little girl anymore! There is nothing wrong with being strong! It's what you wanted. You can find a nice man one day that is not a pirate or a immortal narcissist. _Sparrow criticized in her head. She was so busy trying to sort out her thoughts she hadn't realized they had arrived to their destination until the stunning ocean air swept past her face. She blinked and looked around. They were at the place where they had battled the giant spire shard. When all the heroes collided together and fought as one. Now that memory wasn't a horrible one. It was almost crazy how the four synchronized together. Worked perfectly in rhythm, like a heartbeat. She actually wouldn't mind having the four of them together once more to experience a fight like that. Without Reaver's ship blocking the view and their lives not being in danger…it was actually pretty calming. The sea shimmered and shined like diamonds and she was certain not a soul was anywhere near them. She breathed in and the smell of exotic flowers consumed her. The breeze was gentle and not chilling. The sand crunched under her feet and she almost wished she had came barefooted. She actually liked the warm feeling of sand between her toes. Reaver led her a little closer to the ocean then smiled.

"Ah, here we are." he said and then dug into his bag and pulled out a long gray towel then laid it neatly on the sand. He sat down on the towel then patted the empty space next to him. She exhaled deeply but complied. There wasn't much room even on the large towel so she found herself a lot closer to him then she intended to be. She turned her eyes back to the ocean and the beautiful surroundings. A small smile showed on her face. Reaver was cheerful because of this.

"I know you have been here before but I thought you would enjoy it more without the distractions we had at the time. I find myself coming here often to be alone and avoid the consistent noise of the city. I could have taken you to the shore of course but I thought this was more intimate." Reaver said and Sparrow nodded. Still absorbed in her surroundings. She wanted so bad to get up and pick one of the orange and blue flowers blooming near the palm trees. They were gorgeous and smelled delightful. She had a book at home of her favorite flowers that she had pressed in a book. Along with the location of which she had found them. Reaver continued to pull out stuff from his bag. Including two wine glasses and two different bottles of wine.

"What is your preference? White or red?"

"Um…white. Only pour me a half a glass if you don't mind. I already had a half a cup this morning." Sparrow said after she thought for a moment. She had drank much more in the past of course but getting drunk around the horny pirate who was pining for her was out of the question. He smirked at her remark.

"An entire glass of wine in one day? Shame on you Sparrow." Reaver teased. Sparrow allowed herself to laugh. Guess she came off as a prude or a snob sometimes but she kept to her morals first and foremost. Nothing would change that. She turned to look at Reaver.

"So why are we here?"

"Well I realized that you were absolutely right about us not knowing each other as we should and I decided that should change as of today. The environment is as I stated more intimate. I didn't want you to feel as though you were being interrogated but I plan on knowing you very well as of this evening. As well as you are free to ask me anything you so desire and I will respond openly." Reaver explained as he poured the glass of wine for her then handed it to her. Sparrow gulped and swished the wine around in her glass. Now this was that fun awkward thing she was so good at. She wasn't good at talking about herself and most of her stories involved some kind of battle which would bore almost any man. That and she wasn't sure if she wanted Reaver knowing to much about her. Especially if the information remained even after the love potion wore off. Who was she kidding she was just plain boring no matter how you looked at it.

"Um…what do you want to know?" Sparrow asked shyly.

"Anything and everything darling." Reaver answered as he poured himself a full glass of wine. He may very well need it if she decided to dig to deep into his past but he told himself he'd answer despite. He never spoke about a lot of things to another living being. It may very well be refreshing. "But before we begin." he got another item out of the bag and handed it to her. It was a long black case that obviously had some kind of jewelry in it. She pouted. She honestly did not enjoy being flourished with gifts.

"For the coup de grace." Reaver smiled and watched her intently. Sparrow went to hand the case back to him.

"No more gifts Reaver, please." Sparrow said but Reaver waved her off.

"Last one for awhile, I promise. Besides I didn't get to see the look on your face as you got the others. You can give me that much can't you?"

Sparrow sighed when she saw Reaver's eager face. She opened the case and did her best to stifle the gasp that threatened to come out but she was unsuccessful. Inside was a pink diamond necklace with matching earrings. The necklace had pink diamonds in the center and was surrounded by white diamonds and they were cut in a square shape. The pattern went all the way around to the back of the necklace. The earrings being the same square cluster of one giant pink diamond surrounded by smaller white diamonds. She knew it was going to be something elaborate but she never expected this! She was almost positive that the necklace and earrings combined cost more then her house! Reaver's smile widened at her speechless face.

"Does it please you love?"

"It's beautiful…" Sparrow answered then inhaled a deep breath before snapping the case shut and laying it on the blanket. Pushing it back to Reaver causing him to frown. "I still think it would be better if you sold it back and gave each member of your staff a nice bonus. I don't need any fancy jewelry." she finished with a nod. Reaver sighed and pushed the case back to her.

"Sparrow it's a gift. Gift's are often not something you _need _but something you would want and I know you would never buy it for yourself. So please accept my gift. I will be oh so hurt if you deny it." Reaver said placing his hand over his heart in false pain. A smile back on his face. "I had to keep it hidden from you all morning in my study. My maids aren't very creative in their hiding places so I went to the jeweler and picked it out myself to hide it in the one room they didn't have a key to. I had to wake up early but it was worth it. I thought the pink diamond was a good choice considering most of your clothes are hemmed in pink of sort."

"It is my favorite color…." Sparrow chuckled. No one had paid that much attention to her in that way before. It was a reasonable deduction considering the way she dressed but she didn't even know if Hannah knew for a fact that pink was her favorite color. So that's why his study was locked. To hide a present for her not to try and kill her…huh.

"You see. This is fitting for you." Reaver said opening the case and pulling out the necklace. "May I?" he asked politely. She sighed and turned around to where her back was facing him. Moving her ponytail out of the way so it wouldn't get caught in the chain. Reaver scooted closer to her and put the necklace on for her. He lingered for a second to give her a soft kiss to the neck right above where the necklace hung. Sparrow blushed and small shiver went through her. She turned back around and murmured a "thank you" before taking a large gulp of her wine. She had to hand it to him. He was good. She looked down and smiled again.

"I never can match it seems."

"Hm. True but I find you to be a very bright person so wearing multiple colors is very appropriate for you." Reaver complimented and Sparrow smiled again. Okay he was charming. So what...

"So tell me Sparrow, you seem to be off put by the gifts I get you. Surely there has been a man in your life that has purchased you something that made you positively giddy without having to struggle with you." Reaver asked in curiosity. Sparrow thought for a moment. She hadn't received a lot of gifts in the past so it shouldn't be hard to pick one out.

"Well it wasn't a man, but one day while me and Hannah were in Bowerstone I pointed out an antique looking journal in one of the windows that reminded me of the one Rose used to write down all the bed time stories she made up for me. Turns out she went back and bought it for me and gave it to me when I got back from the Spire. That meant a lot to me." Sparrow explained. Her eyes started to fill with memories of the past. Both happy and unpleasant ones. She quickly finished the rest of her wine in one swallow and exhaled sharply. Reaver nodded.

"So you prefer sentiment over expense? Odd for a woman." Reaver noted and found it an even more endearing feature. She truly didn't have a selfish bone in her body did she? Sparrow chuckled and reached for the bottle of wine. Pouring her another half glass. She just had to keep track to make sure she didn't get to tipsy.

"It's not that uncommon Reaver." she scoffed.

"It is in my experience." he retorted. Hell give a beggar girl a diamond and she would ask what the clarity was. Probably to pawn it off for gold but still.

"Speaking of Hannah Reaver, I wanted to make sure you knew I do plan on spending time with her while I stay with you. She is just visiting and she is my best friend." Sparrow said and she heard Reaver sigh and pout. He laid back on the blanket and crossed his arms behind his head. Amazing how that loud monk managed to wreck things between him and Sparrow without even having to be there. She **had** to go.

"Very well, I understand but if you must, do so in the house where I know you are safe. I don't like the idea of you walking around with the hoodlums that walk the streets of this city." Reaver agreed though he didn't want the oaf in his house either. Though he could very well be presented with the opportunity to intimidate her out of their lives. Of course Sparrow didn't need to know of that detail.

"I guess that's fair." Sparrow shrugged. Expecting more of a fight since she knew Reaver did not care to much for Hannah. That and being in doors did provide her with shelter from the other men of the town. She took his lead and laid back on the towel too. Turning on her side to look at him properly while she rested her head in her hand. Reaver smiled and looked up at her. She was so beautiful it was hard to believe she wasn't already spoken for. Not that that would have stopped him of course. "Accidents" happen everyday after all.

"Who is Rose by the way? She another friend of yours? One preferably not as large or loud." Reaver asked. Sparrow frowned and looked away. It was an innocent enough question since she had mentioned her name and it was bound to come up at some point. Even with all the years that had past she found it difficult to talk about.

"Rose is my sister. I lost her when I was very young. Our parents abandoned us when we were both still children so after that we lived on the streets of Old Bowerstone. I don't remember much about them at all. Even their faces are a blur to me…Rose raised me and did what she could to make sure we had what we needed, considering the circumstances. One day we bought an old music box that was said to be from the old kingdom, after running around all day earning the gold for it by doing random tasks around town. The seller Murgo said it was supposed to grant any wish you made and Rose wanted to live in a castle because the concept for us at the time was larger then life." Sparrow stopped to take in a deep shaky breath. No. She wasn't going to cry. Not this time. Reaver sat up a bit and listened closely. He was certain she had had a hard life. It seemed to be a trait heroes shared but he didn't realize such tragedy befell her at such a young age.

"The music box vanished and word spread to Lucien that we were able to use it even though we didn't get our wish. As you know he was after the heroes. So he had the guards bring us to the castle that same night. He had some kind of spell set up on the floor and once we stood inside the circle it verified that one of us was a hero. So he thought we would mess up his big final plan. He shot Rose first and then me. I fell from Bowerstone Castle's tower and I miraculously survived. When I recovered Theresa was there telling me if I worked hard I could get my vengeance on Lucien. So I trained hard until I was seventeen then I set out to do all my hero duties and well…I guess the rest is pretty explanatory." Sparrow finished. She started to feel like she was rambling and she really didn't want to talk about it anymore. He saw it all enough in her dreams. When she looked back at Reaver he looked saddened and he reached out to softly stroke her cheek.

"You really are remarkable Sparrow." he stated and smiled. "I know many that would have crumbled under those conditions. I am sorry you had to go through that dearest but from the fires of tragedy are forged the weapons of greatness. You will forever stand mighty amongst the heroes of legend."

Sparrow blushed and took a shy sip from her glass.

"What about you Reaver? What can you tell me about yourself?" Sparrow asked mostly to shift the attention off of her. She had no idea what to expect him to say since he had walked the earth longer then anyone else in existence. Reaver looked down as he played with his hands in contemplation. He started to say something at one point then stopped himself. He shifted uncomfortably a few times. She raised an eyebrow. That was a little out of character. Especially for him.

"Reaver…are you nervous?" Sparrow asked. It was kind of…cute? Reaver chuckled and then shrugged.

"Forgive me dearest. I am experienced in winning women into bed not into their hearts. Perhaps you should ask me a general question and I may have more to say on the matter then I do currently." He clearly looked embarrassed so she decided to engage him. There actually was a few things she wanted to know about him. Everything concerning the immortal seemed to be surrounded in mystery.

"Um…what did you used to do? Back when you lived in Oakvale I mean. I am assuming you weren't always a pirate." Sparrow said cautiously. She knew it had to be a tender subject but he did say anything didn't he? He exhaled and looked more annoyed then sad so that was kind of a good sign.

"A bit of everything really. I grew up horrendously poor so I started working at a young age to help mother get the gold we needed to survive. I never met my father. Once he found out she was pregnant with me he buggered off to some other village to probably do the same thing to another broad. I didn't care. I never had any desire to know him or seek him out. After dabbling in blacksmithing and building houses night after night, I realized I was good at picking locks and deciphering the combinations to safes after some practice. I wasn't proud of it but I got tired of breaking my back for the bare minimum of gold that was given to me. So I would break into houses, jewelry shops, any where I could to obtain anything of worth, that I could then sell for a profit. Mother could finally live her life stress free and I didn't come home broken and exhausted each night. Once I was fully grown was when I discovered I was skilled with almost any weapon that fell into my hands. Firearms my expertise of course. So I joined the towns guard for a short time to get a heavier and regular source of income. I refrained from thievery then unless I needed the extra gold for a new gun or to impress a lady friend."

Reaver finished and Sparrow became even more curious. Sounds like the man from Oakvale was a typical boy for that time. One that did not enjoy having to do the sordid deeds he did to survive but did them more out of necessity then greed. Even she had stole from time to time when she was little growing up in the streets. She'd grab a handful of apples from a stand when the traders back was turned. Otherwise she wasn't going to eat that day. Interesting.

"What about you love? Any hobbies or occupations other then being Albion's hero for hire?"

"Hm…I used to blacksmith in Bowerstone. I even bar tended for awhile in West Cliff. I get your meaning though. I always walked away with more gold being a bartender then a blacksmith. To be honest most of my life has been running around doing quests for people then making a name for myself. Once I got a decent amount of gold I invested in real estate and that has been my primary source of income for a long time now. Never saw myself as a land lord, but I didn't have the time for much else."

"Do you ever take time out for yourself Sparrow?" Reaver asked with concern in his voice. "I don't recall anyone running to aid you or your sister while you were starving in the street. You need to take better care of yourself dearest or at least allow others to take care of you, that desire to do so." At that he took her hand into his and gave it a light squeeze. She smiled. A small part of her wanted to believe him.

"I guess I just always went out of my way for others because I didn't want anyone else to go through what I had to. I didn't want people who were in a bad situation, to think that they were stuck and nothing ever got any better. I fought my way out of it, so they could too. If they had someone they could relate to, to look up to then maybe those without hope could find some. To me that's the worse feeling in the world, not having anything to keep you going or to look forward to. So if all my efforts in life provided only one little girl or boy in my situation hope that they could grow to be someone of importance one day then it was worth it." Sparrow said then finished the rest of her drink. Reaver stared at her eyes like he was trying to figure out some complex and nearly impossible puzzle. She met his gaze for no other reason then to prove she was speaking with the up most seriousness. He sighed and laid back on his back. Letting out a huff.

"You both baffle and enthuse me my dear." he said simply. Then shielded his eyes from the burning sun up above. He unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt to give him some extra relief. He had short sleeved shirts but he wanted to look decent for his attempt of a date with Sparrow. She giggled, partially from what he said and partially because of the wine.

"Doesn't sound to me like love, eh?" Sparrow said with a nod. Determined to convince Reaver that it was the potion that made him feel this way if it killed her. With the legendary gunslinger that was very likely. She had to remind herself who she was dealing with after all. Reaver chuckled and turned back around to her.

"Actually it sounds precisely like love to me." Reaver smiled. Sparrow blushed and wanted to throw her arms up in defeat. Why couldn't she have drank a "leave me alone forever" potion. It was bound to be much less of a headache. Reaver noted her frustration and asked

"You've never been in love before, have you?"

Sparrow frowned. That was the question wasn't it? She had dated a few guys here and there in the past but she never really connected with any of them. Not enough to say she loved them. Avo, what was wrong with her? She was almost thirty years old and she had never been in a serious or long term relationship? Was that even humanly possible? She knew for sure it wasn't normal. She hated to talk about her relationships or lack there of. Half the time she told the truth about her dating past people stared at her like she had worms crawling out of her ears and eyeballs. She poured herself even more wine and mumbled

"No, I can't say I have."

"Well that is nothing to be ashamed of. Aside from my feelings for you I can honestly say I have only loved one person in the past and she is long gone…" Reaver stated and his expression quickly matched hers but only for a few seconds before he quickly gulped down the rest of his wine and poured himself another large cup full. Immediately beginning to nurse what he had just poured. Sparrow averted her eyes. His heart broken expression even as briefly as it was cut her deep. She did not want to be responsible for making him feel the same way.

"Reaver…do you truly think that you are in love with me?" Sparrow asked softly. This time she was the one to grab his hand. Reaver didn't answer right away. Instead he stared at the sea. The sound of the waves hitting the shore calmed him a little.

"As I said Sparrow, I have only loved one other in the past and that was going on three hundred years ago. I had almost prided myself on the notion that I could never love again. No one ever got close enough to stir such feelings in me. I wouldn't allow it. I know I care for you more then I have cared about anyone since the destruction of my home town. I know you are the only one that has made me feel my heart again and the only one I value even before myself. I am having a very difficult time saying those three binding words to you, that is my own personal baggage but give me time. To answer your question properly dear I think I have fallen hard and fast for you. My only hope is that you can feel the same for me one day." Reaver's eyes finally flashed up to hers and Sparrow felt as though somebody had shoved their hand through her chest and firmly clenched it around her heart. You could see sincerity flooding his dark sea eyes and it made her feel terrible. This stupid spell…all it was going to do is hurt people. She had to end this. Then a thought occurred to her.

"What did you think of me before last night? Did you have any feelings what so ever before then?" Sparrow said hoping that might open his eyes. Reaver shrugged then took a sip of his wine.

"To be honest love, I didn't think much of you at all but that is not uncommon. I try not to think of anyone who doesn't concern me directly at the time. Then again I did find myself wondering how a nice romp in the sack would go with a hero like myself that was as beautiful as you. The thought warmed some of the dreary nights of Samarkand." he smirked. Sparrow blushed and sighed. Well at least he sounded more like his true self.

"So you do not find it odd that all of these feelings can come up after just one night?" Sparrow urged and she watched Reaver roll his eyes and down the last of his wine.

"You _still _believe that my devotion to you solely stems from some magical, imaginary potion?" This was the first time she heard anger in his voice. More then just annoyed but even offended. She could understand why. If she was convinced she was in love with someone and they basically kept calling her a liar she would be livid too. She obviously had to be careful around this subject from now on. "I will not tell you again darling, my feelings are my own. Not because of some spell."

"And if it is…?" Sparrow asked. She held her breath in case it angered him further. Reaver sighed but refrained from snapping again. If anyone else had heard that he had fallen in love with someone they'd have laughed hysterically. Until he put a bullet in their skull of course.

"And if it is…I will just have to savor the way you make my heart quicken with just a glance in my direction and the feeling of being a man and not the monster that has taken breath out of necessity."

Sparrow stared at him and he looked back at her. She considered everything he had told her and something clicked in her head. Was that why he acted the way he did? To keep people from wanting to get close to him? It made sense. Why get close to someone or even go so far as to love them when you knew you were going to have to say goodbye? Everyone else had that same chance but for Reaver he knew he would outlive them. Maybe she _had _judged him to harshly. She was a firm believer that everyone had good in them. Didn't Reaver deserve that same chance? Yeah he had lied to her in the past but all the time they sat together he hadn't tried to seduce her or even get an actual kiss. He just wanted to get to know her. Maybe the Reaver from Oakvale wasn't really gone. What would she have done if she made the same mistake he had? She couldn't imagine. Closing herself off to love, friendship or companionship…maybe she would have indulged in all the sins he had. Just to make life a little more livable. Looking into those navy orbs she knew those weren't the eyes of a monster. She had seen the eyes of a monster in Lucien and that same gleam wasn't in Reaver's eyes.

"I don't think you're a monster Reaver, I think you are a decent man that has made some bad decisions." Sparrow said softly. Turning her eyes away from his. Though he was supposed to be the one under the spell, she was quickly becoming mesmerized by his eyes. Had she ever seen such blue eyes before? You could almost swim in them. Reaver laughed quietly then laced his fingers in between hers.

"Only an pure and flawless being like you would say that." Reaver said sweetly his smile turned into a frown as he sighed. "I pause in telling you about myself because I fear if I do you will turn from me like any decent human being would. I have done many dark deeds in the past and in honesty I don't regret many if not any of them. Even if we do end up together I don't see myself necessarily stopping those said deeds either. Still the idea of you being appalled by me and not wanting to be near me anymore…would be hard to recover from."

"Then let's not focus on that stuff for right now. You said we are here to get to know each other so lets do just that." Sparrow said not wanting any more talk of sad or sour topics. With the alcohol she had ingested it could quickly make her depressed or brooding. She had to think of some mediocre question to keep the ball rolling. "What's your favorite color?" Was the first thing that popped into her head. Reaver smiled at the randomness and simplicity in her question. She could ask virtually anything about him that he'd never speak out loud to anyone else and instead she opts to ask him his favorite color. She's adorable.

"Red." he smiled.

"I knew it, a lot of the colors in your house are red." Sparrow said triumphantly. Making Reaver chuckle.

"I like to surround myself in things I take pleasure in."

"Hm, favorite food?" Sparrow continued. It was hard to pick a question that couldn't be taken to a dark place besides the basics and she could tell Reaver was amused. He clicked his tongue then thought about it.

"Steak au Poivre." Reaver answered thoughtfully. Rare that he could find a chef that could prepare it properly. Sparrow raised her eyebrow at the odd sounding dish but didn't say anything. She should have expected him to answer with some kind of fu fu food. "Yours?"

"Hmm…I'd say chicken noodle soup. With just a little bit of ginger to give it some heat. My second favorite would have to be anything chocolate. I love chocolate." Sparrow answered. Thank Avo, she never had a lot of chocolate around her or else she would weigh probably five hundred pounds. Reaver chuckled again at the girls simplicity. She seemed to get so much enjoyment with the common things.

"I'll have to remember that." he noted and she shifted to look at him better. Just then she realized the two were still holding hands. His thumb was whispering back and forth on the top of her hand. She jerked it away and shook her head. Nope no more wine for Sparrow. She quickly changed the subject to avoid his notice of her reddening cheeks.

"Anything else you want to know about me?"

"Are you a virgin?" Reaver asked without missing a beat. That did not help her blushing what so ever. She had expected the question sooner but she was still unprepared to answer it.

"That is not your concern." Sparrow said angrily. Reaver examined her closely and noticed her improved embarrassment and smiled.

"I knew you weren't. So, my little Sparrow can be naughty every once and awhile. I am actually appreciative. Skorm save me from virgins. Give me an experienced lass any day." Reaver smirked and took delight in watching her squirm in discomfort.

"You don't know that for a fact Reaver. You are making assumptions and I find it rude. Unlike you my sex life is not for display."

"True I am assuming but knowing you, you would proudly claim you were one or that you were saving yourself for marriage or some other nonsense. Instead you got quiet and avoided the subject all together. Some fast talking villager get to you before me did he?" Reaver mused. He was briefly irritated at the idea of some nobody touching such perfection as her but cooled it with the notion that no other beside him would ever do so again. Even if she did refuse him (which she wouldn't) he had his ways.

"If you absolutely _must _know Reaver I have only had sex with two men in my entire life and I was seeing them exclusively at the time. In my defense those times I had no idea if I would ever see my partner again or if I would even survive." Sparrow said resentfully. Now her face was burning out of shame and frustration. She tried her best to keep that information to herself but she did not want him thinking she was some trollop that had sex with anyone pretty just to get her rocks off. She may have not _loved _them but she did care for them. Maybe she was outraged because she thought herself a whore for giving herself to someone she had no deep feelings for, but she was only human. Ugh. All this relationship, love and sex stuff greatly confused her and made her uncomfortable.

"There is no need to defend yourself love. I don't take you for a whore or anything like that. In fact knowing you have only laid with two men in your life time, is what is surprising. You judge yourself to harshly." Reaver said out loud as a realization. Come to think of it, everything about her down to her basic movements suggested that she didn't think highly of herself, but why? He could see no flaws in her that would merit any type of loathing. Must get to the bottom of it. Then it clicked with Sparrow. Of course! Sex! Reaver was all about sex and doing so with as many people as he could. He wouldn't want to commit to just one person for the rest of…well their lives. Now she had the perfect opportunity to make him realize that this wasn't what he wanted.

"Yup, just the two. I'm sure you can't make the same claim could you? I bet the idea of just one person for to long would drive you mad huh?" Sparrow said casually holding her breath. Half hoping Reaver would stand to his feet and say "oh yes your right dear, I am leaving you alone forever and going off to an orgy" or something to that nature. Instead he chuckled and looked over to her.

"As you so eloquently put it my love, I have had my share of both women and men enough to last a hundred men's lifetime. It's not a necessity to continue the pursuit of new lovers. So long as I have one to remain by my side I can find myself content."

_Come on Reaver throw me a frickin bone here! _Sparrow screamed in her head. That potion must have amazing effects if it could change the deviant into an honest man so to speak. He was making it harder and harder to continue to hate him…no! it wasn't true. None of it was true.

"I believe it is your turn to ask me something my dear." Reaver said for no other reason then to break the silence. Even if it meant just asking one another questions at least she was opening up to him. _Okay Sparrow think…what is something you could use to turn him off of you?_

"What's your biggest fear?" She found herself asking. Surely she could exploit it in some way to make him at least wary of pursuing her. Reaver sighed and rubbed his temple. She always had to go for those kind of questions didn't she?

"I think I can safely say I have none now. For a long time I feared this, but now that I can feel my heart beat again it seems to be worth it. Well that and the fear of dying but I figured that would be obvious considering you know my past." Sparrow actually felt a little guilty for continuing with what she was about to say but if it meant saving herself or him heartache in the end then she had to.

"You know I will die long before you. Are you sure you want something with me when you know you will bury me? Maybe it's best we just…you know leave it at this." Sparrow watched him stare off at the sea as if he was in a dream. His face was expressionless so she wasn't sure if she had angered him or not. Actually his stone face frightened her more then his angry one. He took a breath then answered.

"That's why you are so special to me Sparrow. You are the only one that I am willing to face death with. I would rather spend the rest of your life with you then be without you in mine for a moment. At least in the years after you are taken from me I can have the memory of your love and companionship. Making you happy would be the only decent thing I have done with my immortal life. I promise I will put forth all my effort in making it so."

Sparrow was speechless. You are just full of surprises aren't you Reaver? What was she supposed to say after that? He couldn't have meant it. Or what's worse what if he did? What if he had been wanting love for centuries and because of the potion he finally felt like he could take that scary leap. Still it wasn't true love. Not for her. Never for her. If he were to come to his senses this very moment he would leave her and find someone more fitting for his effort. She sighed and turned her back to him. She couldn't look at him after all of this.

"I'm not worth it Reaver. Please save yourself some heartache and turn away from me. I can be your friend even but I don't want to be responsible for hurting you in anyway okay?" Her voice echoed with sorrow and it chilled Reaver to the bone. He was hoping what he had said would have provided her some sort of comfort but apparently it had done the opposite. He scooted closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. Holding her close.

"You are worth it Sparrow. Is it really so hard for you to believe that you can make any man that knew you for even a second weak? You are perfect darling. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise." Reaver spoke softly in her ear. She was on the borderline of crying. She wanted to hear someone…anyone to tell her that so many times in the past and now that she finally heard it, it was tainted with a fucking spell. Of course it was the spell. No one could see her in that way.

"Yeah…I guess it is hard for me to believe. Let's be honest I'm not exactly an ideal woman am I. I could easily be mistaken for a man were it not for appearance." Sparrow sighed. Reaver raised an eyebrow and let go of her. When he did she turned back around to face him. Now they were both sitting Indian style across from one another. So close their knees were touching.

"You do not feel like a woman?"

"How can I when I come home covered in blood almost every night and smell like death instead of rosy perfume? I don't know…I guess I just always chose adventure over that kind of stuff. I remember when I left the gypsy camp I saw this dress in one of the tailors windows and I fell in love with it instantly. It wasn't anything fancy, a sun dress if anything. It was a dark pink that was hemmed with black and had a rose stitched in the same black thread up the side. I just had to try it on and when I did it fit perfectly. It had really thin straps so they weren't in the way and it flowed when I did a little twirl in the mirror. That is honestly the only time I felt like a woman since I can remember. Unfortunately I was broke at the time and only had enough gold for all the supplies and sword I needed so I left it behind. When I came back a couple of months later it was gone. I regret not buying it sometimes. I don't usually like dresses." Sparrow explained then felt like a little kid again. Especially when she looked up at Reaver and he had an amused smile on his face. She giggled,

"Silly I know but it's the truth."

"I don't think it's silly at all. I think you have to be the most adorable little thing on the planet." Reaver grinned and his hand cupped her cheek. "But you are a woman Sparrow. You don't have to wear dresses or expensive perfume to be one. Girls like that are common and dull anyway. In fact I think you are the only true woman that I have met in a very long time." Reaver smiled and hers soon followed. It was nice to hear. Even if it was from a spellbound man. She found herself absorbed in the bluest blue eyes again. They were actually warm and inviting. Neither a quality she had found in Reaver before. He leaned in and finally claimed her lips with his. She was startled but didn't break it right away. She even kissed him back but only for a moment. When she jerked her head away her face was redder then it ever had been before. _What the hell Sparrow! Whose in the trance you or him! _Reaver smiled and gripped her knee.

"Sorry love, you make it extremely difficult to remain a gentlemen and like I stated…you make me weak." Reaver said. His eyes piercing hers. Sparrow scooted a little away from him and mumbled "Well don't let it happen again…" was the only thing she could think to say. Great he was a good kisser too. Damn you Reaver. Suddenly he started to laugh quietly to himself and Sparrow felt uncomfortable. Had she kissed him poorly? She didn't exactly have a load of experience in the matter. She cleared her throat and asked

"What…?" She expected some kind of snide sexual remark but what came next pierced her heart to it's very core.

"I'm happy." he said in almost disbelief. He might as well have drew his pistol and fired it directly into her chest. She really was going to end up hurting him…but how? She hadn't done anything special, they were just talking.

"You aren't happy often…?" She asked and watched him shrug.

"I've had moments of happiness of course but they always pass eventually. True happiness has been replaced with alcohol and the company of whores since long ago. I haven't felt this kind of happiness in…I can't remember. Thank you Sparrow…" Reaver smiled to her and she felt as small as the ants that scurried past her hand placed firmly in the sand. Dear Avo what does she have to do to get out of this?

"Don't be silly Reaver, I haven't done anything out of the ordinary to make you happy. There is no reason to thank me." Sparrow said shyly. Taking to looking at her boots rather then him.

"You don't have to. You just have to be you." Reaver cooed and pressed his forehead against hers. She smiled again but came to her senses and jumped to her feet then offered her hand to him.

"Let's get back to the manor. I'm starting to get all sweaty and were out of wine." Sparrow said making up something to finally head out. She needed a little breather from him anyway. This whole ordeal was starting to confuse _her_. Reaver chuckled then took her hand. Letting her pull him back up to his feet. "As you wish my dear. I am famished anyway. Can I expect you for dinner this evening?" Reaver asked hopefully. Sparrow nodded meekly and he smirked. After he gathered up the towel and wine he took her by the hand and lead her back through the passageway. She decided as soon as they got back she would have to find Hannah. She surely had some kind of plan to help her out. She knew things couldn't continue this way. It could end very bad. For the both of them.

A/N: Hope everyone reading this enjoyed. Also thank you Mariana for your encouragement! It's greatly appreciated. I am dreadful with the comas though. Bare with me. Lol. So let me know what you think of the newest chapter. Thanks again everyone!


	5. Chapter 5

Day One Part 2

As soon as they made it back to the manor and she was able to sneak away from Reaver she ran to try and find Carrie. The only maid she knew by name there and the only one who seemed to talk to her and not run away like she was some kind of ogre about to gobble them up. When she found her she was in the hallway dusting all the picture frames and knick knacks that hung on the hallway wall. Singing happily to herself. She really didn't know where this girl found her joy but she envied it.

"Carrie. I need you to do me a big favor." Sparrow said out of breath when she reached her. Seriously how big was this house? She felt like she had ran a mile, darting in and out of all the rooms. Carrie looked over to her and smiled cheerfully.

"Anything, Lady Sparrow."

"I need you to go down to the Leper's Arm, find my friend Hannah and bring her here. She's really tall, kind of wide, bright red hair, you can't miss her. I really need to see her. I'd go myself it's just…a little more difficult for me at the moment. Can you do this for me?" She tried to ask as politely and urgently as she could. She hated asking someone to go out of their way for her but in this case she saw no other option.

"Not a problem at all Miss Sparrow. I will find your friend for you." Carrie said with a little curtsey and made her way towards the front door. In the mean time Sparrow went back to her bedroom where she flopped on her bed. Letting out a loud sigh, she covered her eyes with her arm. She had learned a fair bit about Reaver and every time she tried to scare or shock him into not liking her, he didn't budge. If she was honest with herself…she actually liked him now. Well _this _Reaver. She was having a hard time reminding herself how horrible of a man he really was when he was being so kind to her. She was just looking at this wrong. He was tolerable so the two weeks spent with him wasn't going to be the hell she imagined. She just had to keep it in her head that the only reason he was being this way was because of the spell and not lead him on and it would be okay…right? She honestly didn't know what to do anymore. Maybe if she just stayed in her room and avoided seeing him as much as possible it would be better.

She sat up in her bed and undid her hair to let it fall back down to her shoulders. She remembered the pair of earrings that went with the necklace he had bought for her and took her current earrings out and put the new ones in. She considered taking the necklace off entirely but she thought it might hurt his feelings. He did probably pay a large sum of gold for it after all. Or would keeping the necklace on just keep him convinced he could end up with her? Errr! It was as though she had to think every step she took carefully or else it could end disastrous. She got off of the bed and walked down stairs to wait patiently for Carrie to return with Hannah. Even as she sat in one of the comfy velvet lined seats by the door her head was spinning. She had never been in a situation that she couldn't talk or fight her way out of. Sure if she really wanted to she could engage in a fight with Reaver but that was not at all something she wanted to do. Retreat wasn't an option either. Anywhere she ran she would just be confronted by zombie like men. So it was stay put and not buy into the pirates legendary charm. No problem she could do that.

At long last the front door opened and Sparrow stood to greet both the maid and her friend. Hannah immediately rushed over to give Sparrow her usual back breaking hug. If only she could talk Reaver into letting Hannah stay there too but she was probably pushing her luck just having her there. Best be grateful for the time she had with her. When they broke apart Hannah sighed.

"Glad to see you are well. How are you putting up with all this?"

"I'm okay. It actually hasn't been that bad." Sparrow answered with an assuring smile. Hannah's eyes glanced down at the insane sized diamond necklace on Sparrow's neck and smirked. Glad to know she was taking her advice. The bastard deserved to get his heart ripped from his chest let alone broken.

"I can see that." she responded then winked at her. Sparrow rolled her eyes. Apparently wearing the necklace was a bad idea after all. She glanced over to Carrie who took the hint and left the two alone. Before she was gone Sparrow whispered a "Thank you" to her then turned back to Hannah.

"He bought it for me on his own Hannah not because of my persuasion. I have to admit I'm having a hard time following through with your plan. I don't think I have it in me to downright use anyone." Sparrow corrected and Hannah groaned.

"But why? That's all the bastard is good for. If it wasn't for the potion he'd-" Hannah started to argue but said bastard had emerged from the door leading to the dining room. He smiled when he saw Sparrow but immediately grimaced when he saw the unkempt giant next to her. He was obvious in his displeasure and walked toward the duo despite.

"Ah, Hannah what a pleasure to see you…_alive_" Reaver said and emphasized the word alive loudly so that his guards at the door could hear. True it was better this way since he had agreed to let the blasted oaf in his house to Sparrow but he had given them specific orders to kill her on sight and to their knowledge it hadn't changed. He must remember to punish them accordingly. Sparrow could already feel the tension rising and she cleared her throat and said softly.

"Remember Reaver? You said I could see Hannah anytime I wanted. Sorry I didn't tell you sooner I just didn't want to bother you."

"I remember darling I just hadn't expected to see your lovely friend so soon. Also you are never a bother." Reaver said turning to smile at Sparrow then looked back at Hannah with that mad gleam shining in his eyes in warning. He wasn't going to let the riff raff erase all the progress he had made with Sparrow. "I just wanted to inform you that dinner will be ready in an hour. I will leave you to your company until then."

Hannah smirked at the opportunity to piss Reaver off further and just could not help herself. "Wonderful! I'm starved. What we havin?" Reaver clenched his jaw tight but continued to smile. He looked over to Sparrow for validation and she shrugged.

"You don't mind if she stays for dinner, right? She has only just now arrived I don't want to shoo her away already." Sparrow said meekly but a part of her wouldn't have minded if Reaver refused. She was getting uneasy at the idea of the two being in close proximity for two long. One of them would break before the night was done she could feel it. Reaver's only reason for keeping the peace being his admiration for her and Hannah's vow to never harm another person for the rest of her life being hers. She did not want to jump into the middle of a fight between two heroes. Still Reaver sighed and masked his frustration best he could.

"Of course she may stay dearest if that's what you want. I will simply go inform the chefs to prepare an extra helping of food and tell the maids to prepare her a seat at the table." Reaver smiled then turned on his heel to walk back into the kitchen. Undoing his bow tie as he went. "Or a trough." he mumbled to himself. He had an assortment of poisons he had gathered through out the years in his study and he deeply considered adding one or two of them to Hannah's portion. Then again that could easily be traced back to him. He'd have to dirty his own hands with this task but he would just need to be patient for the perfect opportunity to show it's self to him. He was already preparing his comforting words to Sparrow for the loss of her friend.

Meanwhile Sparrow led Hannah back to her bedroom and closed the door. Meanwhile Hannah was laughing so hard her sides began to hurt. Maybe there were benefits to the love potion after all, if for no other reason then to enjoy making Reaver cringe knowing he couldn't do anything about it. Sparrow gave her a disapproving look but smiled anyway.

"Do not stir more trouble then what I am already going through." Sparrow stated when Hannah's laughter had finally died down.

"Oh I'm just having a bit of fun, besides he's not going to do anything so long as he's so in loooooovvvvvvvveeeeeee with you." Hannah mocked and started to laugh again until she saw the stern look on Sparrows face and she became concerned.

"What's wrong?"

"This isn't funny to me Hannah. I don't want to end up hurting him okay…I know how big of jerk he actually is but that doesn't mean he deserves it. Not from me anyway." Sparrow said in a sorrowful voice. The memory of his lips pressed against hers returned to her and she shivered. He was surprisingly tender and sweet to her. The odd combination of a dangerous killer yet gentle lover was actually…appealing. Enough to get her head all tied in a knot at least. Hannah sat in the floor near the bed where Sparrow sat. She should have known Sparrow was to good of a person to exploit the pirate but she really needed to buck up about the whole situation.

"Why not? Like I said Sparrow if anyone deserves vengeance on him it's you. We are talking about a man that willingly sends hundreds of people to the shadow court to keep his own blasted youth. A man that puts a bullet in the heart of anyone, just because they messed up a drawling or put to much sugar in his damn tea! Do you truly think that once you take the antidote he's going to be some kind of brooding, broken man?"

"I don't know…"

"NO." Hannah laughed and kicked at Sparrow's leg playfully that was dangling from the bed. Good lord she was short. "He'd drink his fancy liquors and sleep with about ten people in one night and he'd be over it and probably not think of you ever again. The only way you would break his heart is if you told him you loved him and got married or some rubbish like that which you would never do. You are taking this to seriously Sparrow. All you need to do is live with the man for another two weeks, enjoy whatever gifts he wants to throw at you then leave him forever. End of story."

Sparrow shrugged. True. The Reaver she knew was not the type to go boo hooing over the loss of one girl. Not when he could snap his fingers and twenty others would come flocking over to him. The Reaver that she had spent today with was an entirely different person. One that was brought out because of the spell. Maybe she was to worrisome. Reaver might even laugh about it all one day as well.

"It's just a game." Hannah finished and Sparrow nodded. There was no reason to keep herself stressed over something she couldn't help anyway. She had warned him repeatedly about the spell and even told him not to get her anymore gifts. Whatever he did from that point on was his choice. She just had to keep him content so she could stay there with no problem and remember any sweet gestures from him were solely fake. The thought provided comfort to her. She didn't know why she was so concerned with his feelings when in the end they would disappear with the antidote.

Hannah and Sparrow talked some more and before she knew it all her worries and doubt faded to the back of her mind and she and Hannah were laughing like little school girls once again. She felt bad once Hannah mentioned how she was having a hard time sleeping on the rust covered beds in the Leper's Arm.

"I'm sorry Hannah. I wish I could talk Reaver into letting you stay here. Despite having him around all day the house it's self is pretty great. I actually love this bed, it's super comfortable." Sparrow said patting the bed. Hannah shrugged,

"It's no big deal honestly. It reminds me of the years I spent while you were at the Spire. Azmarie even offered for me to stay in her house until the antidote is ready. Apparently she will be up day and night working on the antidote for us so she's staying in her shop. Tomorrow me and a few of the blokes from the pub are going to do some fishing. I promise I'm not in misery or anything." Hannah said with a smile. Sparrow felt relieved. Azmarie was a really good lady. Looks like she really didn't have to much to worry about after all. Which felt amazing. She was even beginning to look forward to dinner this evening. She didn't have to get up early, she didn't have to cook, or clean or kill anything. Huh. Might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

"Allow me to give you some tips if you decide you still want to repel Reaver, or the potion ends up driving him to be more clingy or demanding. I've been giving this some thought. Want to hear it?" Hannah said thoughtfully. Tapping her forehead with her index and middle finger. Sparrow scooted up to the edge of the bed again and leaned in close.

"Yes absolutely."

"Alright. First off, men _hate _being rushed into commitment. It is one of the biggest turn offs for them. So if he starts to get on your nerves just start talking about you two getting married or how big of a wedding you want." Sparrow nodded. She knew for sure if someone mentioned all of that to her to soon or ever really it would scare her away in a heart beat. "Next, babies are always something to make even good decent men panic. Say you want a load of kids right away and he's going to think twice about wanting to put anything in your baby maker if you know what I mean."

Sparrow cringed at Hannah's vulgarity but all her points were valid. Hopefully she wouldn't have to enforce any of these tactics but they were good to have as a back up plan since she was drawling a blank.

"And last but not least, guys HATE drama. So just throw a fit about something stupid repeatedly and he will leave you a lone for a couple of days. Trust me. Stick to those three things and he's bound to go from love struck to annoyed and bothered in no time." Hannah finished proudly crossing her arms. She had had plenty of male friends most of her life and those were the biggest complaints they made about their significant others.

"I can remember that." Sparrow said while she twirled one of her blonde strands of hair between her fingers. Hannah smiled. Sparrow had a compulsive need to twirl her hair when she was in deep thought or distress. How the gal wasn't bald already was beyond her since that's all she ever did was sit and worry about something. Still it was nice seeing those old traits in Sparrow. She had missed her terribly, but she had to leave Albion for her own good. If she stayed she'd have ended up staying a drunken brawler. She was so sick of pointless violence and that's all the fights she had gotten into seemed to be. Sparrow on the other hand was righteous and cool headed. She would avoid violence where even she wanted to just barge in and bash skulls to get what they needed.

A knock on the door interrupted their new random discussion and it was Carrie to inform them that dinner was ready. Wow an hour really flew by a lot faster then it used to. The two ladies followed Carrie into the dining room where Reaver was sitting at the end of the table already waiting for them. Hannah rushed ahead of Sparrow and took a seat across the table from Reaver with a big grin on her face. Reaver's face remained expressionless but his eyes followed Sparrow as she took a seat to the left of Hannah and a few seats away so that she was in the middle between the two.

Sparrow noticed that now Reaver was wearing a gray almost silver button up shirt and black vest and bow tie. He changed his clothes again? She was a woman and didn't get dressed as often as he did. Though he did look really nice she had to admit. Hate or love Reaver the fact remained that he was an extremely good looking man. He smiled to her once she took her seat and just like breakfast as soon as she was situated the maids brought out their food. Placing them in sync with each other in front of the three heroes. Sparrow politely said thank you then looked down at her plate. There was a roasted chicken breast mashed potatoes and spring peas. Wow, she could get used to this. Sad what made her warm up to this whole situation quicker was the food but hey girls got to eat. She picked up her fork and knife eagerly ready to dig in but when she looked up she saw that Reaver and Hannah were still staring maliciously at one another.

She was now participating in the most awkward dinner she had ever been in.

You could practically see red and blue bolts of electricity crackle in the air from their stares. Sparrow quietly began to cut her meat. Now what was she supposed to do? If she spoke to someone first did that mean she liked them more or something? Now she was confused again. She chewed a small piece of chicken and said softly to anyone in the room to hear

"The chicken is delicious…"

"I'm glad it's to your liking darling." Reaver was the first to answer and after that everyone started to quietly eat. After Hannah's teeth tore into some chicken she shrugged and said with her mouth full.

"It's alright,"

Reaver rolled his eyes and turned his full attention over to Sparrow. Not wanting her to spoil the evening and blasted he wasn't going to let her.

"So Sparrow, have you decided what you wanted to do tomorrow or have you made plans?" Reaver inquired. Sparrow noticed as he sipped on even more wine his eyes were shining with lust. It was unsettling. If she had ever received those stares from men before she had missed it and for that she is kind of thankful. She blushed and shrugged

"We hadn't really discussed it yet…"

"You can 'ave her all day tomorrow Reaver no worries. I got some plans of my own." Hannah said annoyed then looked over to Sparrow and winked. Reaver clenched his fist on top of the table and sighed. The woman's voice sounded like a swarm of angry bees in his head and he wanted more then anything to silence it forever.

"I don't believe I was addressing you, pilgrim." Reaver said in his honey sweet voice though he was clearly irritated. Sparrow tensed up. Here we go…

"Well I don't believe I need you to address me in order to speak, thief." Hannah shot back with just as much venom. "Besides, I think an evening locked in a casket would be better then spending longer then a few minutes with you anyway."

"Would you like to see that proposal come to light?" Reaver sneered and Sparrow bit her lip. Did she have to separate them like two year olds?

"You think you can make me do you? Well it will take a lot of effort on your part I promise you that much." Hannah shouted after she took another large bite out of her chicken.

"You aren't worth any amount of effort dear, I assure you."

"Yeah, your right. All your effort has to be reserved into convincing Sparrow to fall in love with you right? If I was as big of a prat as you I would be exhausted." Hannah laughed and Sparrow reached for her sword that wasn't strapped to her back as usual. If this escalated much more the two heroes would come to blows and that was the last thing she wanted. Think they would notice if she snuck off to her room to grab it real quick? The way they were glaring at each other no, probably not. She scooted her chair back a little and sat at the edge of her seat. Readying herself to jump on top of the table to block Reaver's aim to Hannah if need be.

"Let me make something perfectly clear to you, anything that happens between Sparrow and myself is not your concern. So I suggest you stay out of it." Reaver said in a chillingly calm voice as he stood to his feet and leaned onto the dining room table. Those blue eyes changing to the intimidating wolf like ones in warning, but Hannah wasn't about to be intimidated again.

"That's where you are wrong. She's my best friend so everything concerning her concerns me! Especially when it comes to greedy, mad men trying to get their hands all over her!" Hannah said standing to her feet as well. Sparrow sighed and said calmly

"Guys please don't fight…" Something that went completely unheard by both the pirate and the monk.

"Yet you are willing to run off to a different country and practice a fools creed, while leaving your supposed best friend in Albion with nothing more then a wave goodbye? I think you need to know the proper definition of the word greedy before you accuse others of it dear."

"Don't you dare lump me into the same category as you! The only reason I came back to Albion was to see Sparrow! I left because there was nothing left for me here! All there was left was violence and seeing your smug face reminds me of it fully! And your one to talk! If your so innocent why are you waiting till now to give Sparrow the time of day when you were given several opportunities to before?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you. The point is I am here for her now, and nothing could remove me from her. A claim you can't make."

"Guys seriously…" Sparrow piped up again but it was like she wasn't even in the same room with them. Now she was starting to get really angry and when Hannah opened her mouth to scream something else at Reaver Sparrow stood up and slammed both of her fists on the table. Finally the two other heroes looked over to her.

"Stop it! Both of you! If your both so worried about what I want, you'd be able to sit through a dinner without arguing with each other!" Sparrow yelled, she was getting sick of being nice and polite all the time. Every time she started to relax something else had to put her on edge. Guess she just had to get used to it. The two's hate for each other out weighed their care for her. Considering Reaver was enchanted that said a lot. Both heroes muttered and apology and sat back down. The rest of the dinner wasn't any better. They all sat in uncomfortable silence and Sparrow had lost most of her appetite after all the yelling so she didn't even have the food as a distraction. She noticed Hannah did her best to not look at Reaver. Occasionally she would look over to Sparrow with an apologetic expression. Reaver did the same thing and he knew his anger was going to spike again so to avoid further conflict he rushed to finish his plate then excused himself from the table. Before leaving the dining room he gave Sparrow a tight hug while she still sat at the table. She blushed and played with her remaining peas on the plate with her fork. Hannah caught this and raised her eyebrow but didn't say anything.

Once Reaver was gone Hannah gobbled up the rest of her food including what was remaining on Sparrows plate. Avo knew she wasn't going to chance eating anything from the pub. Sparrow walked Hannah towards the front door since Hannah figured she had ruined any hopes of Sparrow wanting to hang out some more which she could understand.

"I'm sorry mate. I promise next time I am over there will be less of a fuss. I guess the thief and I just bring out the worst in each other." Hannah shrugged as she stood by the front door. Sparrow smiled weakly. She couldn't stay mad at her. At either of them really.

"It's alright. Just take heart in knowing after the two weeks the three of us will probably never find each other in the same company." Sparrow answered and gave Hannah a hug. Hannah sighed in relief. She could count on one hand how many times Sparrow had been mad at her but it was still an unpleasant experience no matter how rare it was.

"Day after tomorrow I will figure out something for us to do okay? We'll make the day of it."

"I can't wait." Sparrow smiled and after they said their goodbyes Sparrow closed and locked the door behind her. Watching from the window to make sure Hannah was able to walk away safely. When she was out of sight she retreated to her bedroom. All she was wanting to do was sleep even though it was still pretty early in the evening. She wasn't so much physically drained as usual but emotionally. She was to busy worrying about Hannah and Reaver she was hardly able to get a grip on anything else. Let alone her own feelings. Once inside her bedroom she took off her earrings and necklace and placed them on top of the dresser. She changed into a pair of red silk pajama pants and shirt which were a little big on her but she thought they were perfect. She loved wearing overly large clothes to sleep in for the extra comfort. It was the only outfit that had pants with it and she considered wearing the pants all day tomorrow even if she looked silly. She simply was the most comfortable in pants over shorts or skirts.

As soon as she finished changing she heard another knock on the door. She huffed in guessing who it was and sure enough as soon as she opened the door she saw Reaver standing in front of her. He smiled at her and immediately reached out and brushed the bangs behind her ear. She always had a hard time keeping those out of her face.

"May I come in dearest?" he asked softly and she didn't answer him but instead stepped aside allowing him access into the room then closed the door once he was inside.

"I'm sorry if my behavior tonight disturbed you. There is just a…special quality your friend seems to have that makes me react in such ways."

"She said the same thing about you." Sparrow laughed.

"Yes well, I will act more appropriately in future." Reaver smiled. He saw she was already dressed for bed and he felt a little disappointed. "So I take it you plan on sleeping in here again tonight?"

"Yes Reaver." Sparrow said plainly and watched the pirate frown. He'd have to get used to it. She had no intentions of ever sleeping with him in any way shape or form. He sighed and walked closer to her then gave her a tiny kiss on the forehead.

"Well I hope you have a goodnights sleep my love. Remember I am only in the next room if you change your mind." Reaver stated and went to leave the room. Sparrow followed to close the door for him but he stayed in the doorway.

"I don't even get a goodnight kiss?" he smirked and Sparrow rolled her eyes. To get him to leave faster she leaned up and kissed his chin just under his bottom lip. Deciding that was the best he was going to get from her. Reaver smiled when he saw how red her entire face had gotten from embarrassment. He'd break her of that habit one of these days.

"You tease. Very well I will accept it for now, but do know if you tease me much more I just might not be able to control myself." Reaver winked and before he turned around he could have sworn she had turned an even darker shade. Sparrow closed the door quickly and sighed loudly. She really had to get a grip on this whole blushing thing. Had she ever been so childish with any other men? Probably. She didn't want to think about. She crawled in under the covers and let out a soft moan once her muscles began to relax. Sleep was such a glorious thing. Well in most cases. Once the slumber had taken over her, one of her dreaded nightmares decided to visit her. This time it was even more intense. Images in no real order popped in her head. She re-watched the commandant kill her only friend at the Spire Bob while she struggled helplessly to get to her feet and stop him. Then she saw Hannah slumped over her dead father crying her eyes out. The final image was her faithful dog Duke jumping to defend her on top of hero hill. His pained yelp ringing loudly in her ears. She tossed and turned rapidly in her sleep. Kicking the covers off the bed and clenching onto one of the spare pillows for dear might. Stop. She just wanted it all to stop. A new memory returned. The first time she had ever faced a banshee. It's chilling words and hoarse voice whispered to her. Telling her that Rose hadn't died right away. That her last vision in this world was of Sparrow being thrown from the tower. She didn't want to believe that. Dear Avo she didn't want to believe that. A white banshee claw reached out for her in her dream just as she heard Rose's ear splitting cry NOOOOO!

She woke herself after that screaming loudly, herself. She looked around the room and frantically reached for her sword. Her heart was beating out of her chest and she was drenched in sweat. Her red silk pajamas clung to her like glue. She sat up for a minute and tried to get her breathing back under control. She threw her head in her hands and tried to refrain from sobbing. When would this just be over? She didn't want to have nightmares anymore. She didn't even want to fall back asleep knowing that they might come back. Before she could get her thoughts together the door to her bedroom burst open and when she looked up she saw Reaver had rushed inside, gun in hand. His eyes swiftly scanning the room for any signs of trouble when he found none he rushed over to Sparrow.

"Are you alright?! I heard you scream!" Reaver said in a panicked tone. Something she had never heard before and honestly didn't think the posh king of thieves was capable of. Sparrow nodded.

"I'm alright. I'm okay…" she answered and Reaver sighed in relief and placed his gun on the bed and pulled her into a tight embrace. Sparrows ear was pressed against his chest and she could both hear and feel that his heart was beating just as fast as hers. He stroked her hair almost possessively.

"Thank the stars your alright." he said in what sounded like genuine concern. Sparrow wrapped her arms back around him and felt the embrace was very comforting considering her state. She couldn't remember the last time she had been held with such care. Reaver sat next to her on the bed but kept one arm wrapped around her waist.

"What happened?" Reaver asked and Sparrow contemplated some kind of lie she could say that would make sense. To bad she was bloody awful at lying. She exhaled and looked up at him.

"It's stupid…just a nightmare is all." she said weakly and rubbed her eyes to make sure no bitter tears had fallen without her knowing. It sounded even worse when she said it out loud. She was a grown woman boohooing about a bad dream. Why not go buy a teddy bear while she was at it?

"Nightmares can be pesky little things, can't they?" Reaver said bitterly. He wanted to tell her they were just dreams and they would eventually fade away with time but here he was reaching over three hundred years of life since Oakvale and he was still visited by the exact same nightmare. The only blessing being they came less frequently then they used to.

"What was it about?"

Sparrow played with her thumbs and felt herself feeling just as upset again. Like the scenes were flashing before her very eyes again. _Ignore it Sparrow. It's the past_. She told herself. She shrugged and explained

"Nothing really…just…"

"Memories of the past?"

Sparrow nodded meekly and looked back up to Reaver who gave her a small smile. Was she really that transparent? For all he knew she had a nightmare about a three headed troll or something.

"I have some experience in the matter." Reaver explained when he saw the confused look on her face. "Would you like me to make you a strong drink to help you relax? That seems to be what helps me best." he offered and Sparrow shrugged.

"No thank you. I don't like to drink all that often to be honest."

Reaver's smile widened as a thought occurred to him. He hopped off the bed and disappeared for a moment. Sparrow wondered if she had offended him since he left so abruptly and didn't even close the door. Soon enough he returned and sat down on the bed next to her once again. He handed her a large chocolate bar and winked

"Well maybe that will help you feel better for now." Reaver said triumphantly. She eagerly took the chocolate bar but the feeling of being a little kid only worsened then. Then again she would never turn down free chocolate. As she tore the wrapping paper off and bit a tiny chunk out of it daintily causing Reaver to chuckle.

"Don't be shy love. You could stand to gain a few pounds anyway." he said sweetly. Sparrow raised her eyebrow. A man bringing her chocolate and telling her it was okay to gain weight? Maybe she was still dreaming.

"You didn't wake the maids just to get me this did you?" Sparrow sighed. Knowing those damn nightmares were now causing others troubles too. Reaver shook his head and leaned in close to whisper into her ear.

"I have a secret stash hidden in my nightstand." he smiled. Sparrow giggled. The way he had said it was like he had told her some awful dirty secret. When she got a good look at Reaver she couldn't help but laugh harder. She really must have woken him up from a deep sleep because his hair was sticking up all over the place. The way the pirate groomed his hair she never thought she would see him with a single strand out of place. Reaver was taken aback by her laughter.

"What?" Instead of answering him she pointed at his head. She would have sworn she saw Reaver blush when he realized what she was laughing at. He quickly ran his fingers through his hair to straighten it best he could without a mirror. He huffed

"I had hoped to avoid you seeing me in such a state so soon. Well, at least not without some vigorous exercises exchanged between us that is. I apologize." Reaver smirked.

"Don't. I think it's the most human thing I have seen you do." Sparrow smiled back. It was nice. She sometimes thought he woke up every morning looking perfect without any effort. Good to be reminded he was just like everyone else. Reaver smiled and got up from the bed.

"Well dear, I should be heading back to my own bed, lest I turn into an even bigger wreck in the morning." he stated. "Unless you would rather me stay of course. I could keep you safe from anything after all." Sparrow smirked. Not much protecting you could do against dreams.

"You going to fight the demons inside my mind are you?" Reaver reached out and stroked her cheek for a second before saying. "If I could, I would do it in a heart beat dearest."

Sparrow blushed and looked away from him. Her heart had actually fluttered at that. Why does it take a spell in order for a man to say much nice things to her? He smiled and said goodnight as he headed towards the door. Sparrow already felt the loneliness and fear creep back up her spine. What could it hurt…?

"Reaver?" she said and he halted immediately. Holding his breath that she had changed her mind. When he faced her she was looking down at the floor and twiddling her thumbs. If she got an ounce more adorable his heart would burst he just knew it. She cleared her throat and said as casually as she could.

"Um…If you wanted to stay the rest of the night in here that would be okay. But only for tonight, and I mean to _sleep_. No sexy business." Sparrow clarified with a wag of her finger. Reaver chuckled and made his way back towards her.

"I can be a gentlemen dear, don't you worry." Reaver said and got into the bed to lay next to her. Sparrows heart started pumping out of her chest. What in the world was she doing?! All she could think of at the time was not waking up alone after another nightmare. It was an awful feeling but this wasn't much better. Forget it. What was done was done. Now all she could do was go back to sleep and when the morning came she would just sneak off into the dining room or something. He covered both of them with the blanket and leaned in to give her a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Goodnight my love. If you have another nightmare just wake me up and I will kiss all the bad thoughts away." Reaver smirked and laid flat on his back. Sparrow rolled over to where her back was facing him and sighed. She couldn't remember the last time she shared a bed with someone. She was now worried she'd roll over and kick him in her sleep or something. Not that he wouldn't deserve it for one reason or another. After awhile when Sparrow finally started to fall asleep and just when she was about to drift off she felt Reaver wrap his arm around her waist and pull him to her. She popped her eyes open but didn't pull away from him. She actually liked the feeling of someone's arm wrapped around her. She felt safe. Next time she closed her eyes she fell straight asleep. Realizing her _never _when it came to Reaver may not be set it stone after all.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed, please review and let me know what you think.


	6. Chapter 6

Day Two

Not a single nightmare or negative thought entered Sparrow's mind for the rest of the night. When she slowly opened her eyes the sun was shining through the curtains and lighting up the bedroom. She felt a lot more serene then she normally did after a night plagued with nightmares. She felt warm and safe. All she found herself wanting was to just close her eyes and go back to sleep. Savoring the feeling she had long missed for years. When she closed her eyes and attempted to do just that she realized…Reaver's arm was still wrapped around her and her body was pressed up against his. She stiffened right away even though he had probably remained that close to her all night. She shifted a little and felt that one of his arms was wrapped around her tummy and the other was propped by his head. Huh. If she hadn't imagined Reaver as the cuddling the type. She figured he would be trying to grope her chest or ass or something. She didn't chance a look towards him but once she was still she could hear his breath and feel that he was still sleeping away. Now she didn't want to get up but she didn't want to go back to sleep either. How awkward would that be to wake up next to each other? Hey man I'm not interested in, thank you for babysitting me last night but please get out of my room and never hold me again. Yeah. That will go well.

She really wished the arms around her were that of someone who truly was interested in her and not cursed by a spell. Hell…even if it _was _Reaver being the one holding her it would be okay so long as he was genuinely interested in her for more then just a one night stand. That and if he acted the way he did now and not the narcissistic, murderous snob he really was. She still couldn't help but love the feeling of strong arms around her and subconsciously she gripped his hand and pulled him a little tighter. She exhaled a sigh. If she just didn't turn around to look at him she could drift back to sleep and continue to pretend she was being held by the loving, caring man of her dreams that she had yet to find. Then again she didn't really look for said man either. Guess the fantasy was better because that way nothing could go horribly wrong. Like everything in her life. Like every relationship. Eventually something happens. Just as she was about to reach another peaceful sleep she felt Reaver squeeze her back and before her half asleep mind could process it he had turned her around to face him in one swift movement.

They were so close now their noses were almost touching and she had to blink a couple of times to see him properly instead of the peach blur she saw in front of her. He was smiling warmly at her and immediately started stroking her cheek after pushing that rebellious strand of hair out of her face.

"How did you sleep my darling?" he asked in a polite voice. His blue eyes almost piercing a hole through her at the intensity. He was looking at her like he hadn't seen her in years over just a couple of hours.

"Um…it was fine." Sparrow said shyly as she tried to casually scoot away from him to retrieve her precious personal space. He didn't seem to mind. His smile remained and he was still looking at her like she was some kind of mythical goddess that descended into the bedroom. It was making her start to feel a little uncomfortable but that look was preferred over the animalistic look of lust he gave her from time to time.

"No more unpleasant dreams?" Reaver inquired with concern and once she shook her head he perked up again. "Excellent. Well I will leave you in peace my dear. I have some mundane tasks to attend to this morning. I haven't been back in Albion very long and I daresay my men have been positively lost without me." Reaver said and threw the sheets and blanket off of him. He effectively stole a quick kiss from the stunned and sleepy Sparrow and grinned to himself in triumph. When she opened her mouth to protest he chuckled and savored the look of her deep red cheeks before interrupting her. Actually. He hoped in years to follow he could still make her blush just as easily.

"I know it is easy to get bored being stuck inside all day so I have arranged for Carrie to escort you into town today with one of my trusted guard to ensure you have no troubles. You could go shopping, or get your hair done or whatever it is you ladies do for fun. Have yourself a girls day I hear so many of you prattle on about."

"Not exactly my idea of fun, Reaver. I'm not really a shopping kind of girl. Besides you already bought me clothes so what else could I need to buy in town? I don't have that much gold with me anyway." Sparrow said with a stretch. When she placed her bare feet on the floor she hissed and retreated back under the sheets. She forgot how cold the floor boards could get if you didn't leave the fire roaring in the dead of night. But when she did that she would end up burning up and sweating all night. Looks like she just couldn't find a happy medium temperature.

"Silly girl, I can provide whatever gold you need for your outing. I think you will enjoy yourself with Carrie my love. The girl has a keen eye for all different sorts of possessions. I'm sure she will help you find something you'd like. Also we have had a talk about wants and needs pet. You really need to become a little bit selfish every now and again."

"Reaver I've already told you to stop providing me with presents and that includes gold. That's just presents I have personally picked out if you ask me." Sparrow argued but when she looked up Reaver was already walking out of the door calling behind his shoulder.

"Didn't catch that love, have a wonderful time. Tatty bye!"

Sparrow rolled her eyes and huffed. He wanted to get with her so bad yet he refused to listen to the few demands she had. All well. She didn't _have _to do anything. She would just stay in her room or run around the mansion. She had even stayed here for a few weeks while Reaver was away and she was still sure she hadn't been in all the rooms, so some exploring could be fun. She could entertain herself just fine. She was used to being alone. True she would probably run off and try and get into some kind of quest or adventure if she found herself to restless but she didn't have that option now. That's alright. She thought about it and smiled when she realized she had brought her journal with her. It had been to long since she had written an entry in it anyway. She always felt a small weight lifted off of her after she poured all her thoughts, fears, concerns, joys and simply everything in there. People really needed to pick this up. It was a huge stress relief.

Then she recalled her time here on her own. The warning note Reaver had left on the door stated there was missing pages of his own diary scattered about the house along with the threat of death to anyone else who lived there when he returned. She didn't buy the mansion in hopes to find the diary entries by no means but stumbled upon them none the less. She bought the mansion because it really was one of the nicer houses in Albion and she had acquired enough gold to buy it. She had every intention on staying there until she realized she didn't want a bunch of maids or servants and with little to pretty much no friends and no family it was…lonely. Eerily lonely. She sold it again after her short stay there but not before she finally broke down and actually read the diary pages.

Reaver was like a giant mystery to her. Even then she had to admit she was fascinated by him. Bastard that he was, he still lived throughout several generations so far. Imagine the things you could learn from him, if you were able to get him to speak about something besides himself that is. What was the most…remarkable…was the mention of his ignorance on his deal with the shadow court. That he really didn't know the price he would have to pay for his immortality. She closed her eyes and sighed. She really wanted to believe somewhere deep down he was a good man that tainted himself and morals just to cope with the fact. In a way she wanted to bring that man out and have him stay even when the potion was cured but lets face it. That was never going to happen. She would be a fool to think otherwise. She had tried her best to act ignorant on the details in his diary if not purely for the reason that it was a complete and total violation of ones privacy. She would probably fall over dead from a heart attack if her diary had ever been read by anyone besides her. She had things written in there that no one knew about her nor did she ever plan on speaking aloud. Besides, one does not easily mention a tragedy in light conversation and she honestly didn't want to upset him in broaching the subject.

She was left alone for a couple of hours which gave her plenty of time to get dressed and start writing in her journal. Immediately she started to feel her anxiety and stress leave her. Avo, why had she waited so long to write? It defiantly made her feel more relaxed. Which she needed desperately. After she finished her last sentence and dropped her quill back into the ink she heard a quick knock on the door. Once she told whoever it was to come in she saw Carrie rush inside with a huge smile on her face. Then she remembered Reaver's agenda for her and she felt that tension again. Shame. It was nice to see her in a normal blue dress instead of her black maids one. Her brown hair was still braided but she saw she was wearing a cute little blue headband. Clearly she was also excited to get out of the house and put off cleaning for awhile.

"Are you ready to go my lady?" She asked cheerfully. Sparrow sighed. It was hard to refuse her when she looked so happy about it. Then again Carrie always looked happy.

"Carrie, how about we skip shopping and play a game or something in here?" Sparrow offered as an alternative. She really didn't want to be bum rushed by the men in town again and the fear of Reaver was sure to wear off eventually. Not only that but she would probably be a drag anyway. She knew nothing about shopping or anything like that and it was bad enough she was forced to wear the short skirt she had on currently. She felt very exposed and wasn't sure how to sit without revealing anything so she just kept her legs crossed constantly. Carrie's disappointment was apparent on her face and Sparrow couldn't help but feel guilty.

"But Master Reaver said you wanted to go shopping. He told me you insisted, I was really hoping we could get you some new shoes and get our hair done together." Carrie sighed and Sparrow bit her lip. Of course he said _she _wanted to, to Carrie. Knowing it would get her excited about it and Sparrow would feel to guilty to say no. He was clever to say the least but she dreaded having to go. Never the less she sighed and got ready.

"Very well. I am in desperate need to buy some pants anyway." Sparrow groaned as she slid her boots on and her trench coat. Ah how she missed it. Now she felt better despite wearing a skirt and green frilly blouse. Carrie groaned

"But you look so good in skirts. You have legs to die for Lady Sparrow. Why hide them?" Carrie said enthusiastically and Sparrow wanted to answer _To keep horny pirates at bay _but decided against it.

"Also, I don't really want to change my hair so there is no need to go to the salon." Sparrow continued and Carrie giggled.

"Lady Sparrow you can do more then just get your hair done at a salon. Come on I will show you." Carrie said eagerly not wanting to wait another second she grabbed Sparrow by her hand and pulled her downstairs. Sparrow huffed. She was getting sick of being jerked around by hand like a child. As they left out of the front door she saw two of Reaver's body guards chase after them. She huffed again but was thankful for the support if a riot did break out. She didn't know what was waiting for her but she wanted today to be over with.

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Reaver drummed his fingers impatiently on top of his desk. One of his crewmen was prattling on about their progress and he had long ago stopped listening. He had stated that the main trade route by sea was back under their control and they had already made a profit and that was his only concern. His mind kept wandering to Sparrow. How long had it been since he had fixated like this on one girl? An hour was pushing it most days. He didn't even think about _her _anymore. Not at all like he thought about Sparrow. Now, why in heavens name was the girl still so reluctant around him? Half of the things he had done for her would have made even the hardest war maidens or prudish monks swoon for him by now. Not Sparrow. Sure she was warming up to him and he very much enjoyed waking up with her next to him but he knew tonight he would have to go to his cold bed alone. He truly despised this, but he wasn't going to jeopardize his standing with Sparrow by falling into old habits. He was determined to do everything right this time. He desperately wanted to know how she was doing but he didn't want to smother her. He told himself he would give her most of today to herself save dinner and random occurrences inside the house.

Reaver's blue eyes found his henchmen's and he realized the sod was still talking away at him. He was quickly finding his voice to be quite irksome and had he not proven himself useful on more then one occasion he would silence that voice forever. He had behaved himself for the past forty eight hours and his trigger finger was itching uncontrollably. He would have to spot one of his servants blundering something up so he could quench said urge in Sparrow's absence. As his henchman moved slightly during his speech a shine caught Reaver's eye. On his left hand amongst the grime and filth littering his fingers was a standard wedding band. One of poor quality he might add. So the prat was married was he? He examined him further and sneered. The man was hardly anything to look twice at. Sunken grey eyes, straggly brunette hair that he was certain hadn't seen a comb in a decade, and his face was lined with worry lines and stubble where he had attempted to shave in a hurry. Now he was filled with a mixture of outrage and even more confusion. Someone like _that _could obtain their person of desire yet here he was. **Reaver**. The man who had everything. Wealth, extremely good looks, impeccable skill, superb intelligence and the one woman he finally decided to call his own and settle down with was reluctant to say the least. It made no earthly sense. What was this chap's name? Richard…Ronald…no that's right Ralph.

"Tell me Ralph, how long have you been wedded?" Reaver asked in a straight forward way. Ralph was taken aback at the randomness of the question. Especially since he had just got done telling Reaver about how many men they had lost on their last voyage. Though he had worked for Reaver on several occasions in the past and knew his attention span and patience was almost non existent. So he answered him automatically in fear his boss's hand would drop to his pistol.

"Four years my lord."

"Hm. Your wife agreeable?"

"I uh…I think so my lord." Ralph answered. Knowing how blunt he could be with his questioning. He had gotten accustomed to it many years ago so it didn't phase him anymore. What was more out of place was the fact that Reaver was inquiring personal information about him. He was pretty sure he had no idea about any of his crew's life outside of working for him nor did he ever seem the least bit interested.

"Did you court her for a substantial time before marriage?"

"I'd say for maybe a year."

"All that time? How did you get her to fall for you?" Reaver asked. Looking for insight from someone who was used to the whole dating scene now a days. He had tried on several occasions since he started to feel for Sparrow to recall all the things he used to do on a date but as hard as he tried none of them came to mind. Funny. He can recall the destruction of Oakvale like it was yesterday even though it was hundreds of years ago yet he couldn't remember the things that brought him so much joy from that time. Ralph shifted uncomfortably in his seat and had no idea how to answer him. It was so…out of character for him. Where was this line of questions coming from?

"Well…it took a while before she felt love for me. I guess I got her to fall for me because I got to know her. I was genuinely interested in what she had to say, where she had been, what she had been through, things like that. And I was committed to her before anything else, including myself. I guess it's hard to explain my lord." Ralph said and Reaver wasn't exactly satisfied with his answer but he knew he had been on the right track with Sparrow at least.

"So it was through actions instead of physical prowess alone? Well that makes sense, you are horribly unattractive." Reaver said and tried to think of his new approach. Usually when girls saw him he didn't have to work much after that. Sparrow wasn't interested in gold, and he was sure she thought he was attractive but she never spoke of it. He had been kind to her and avoided doing things he knew she was against in her presence. So what more did he have to do? Commitment huh? That was interesting. Ralph looked to the floor after Reaver's jab and didn't dare to be contrary with him. Still he couldn't help but wonder where all this was coming from. Did the stone cold pirate lord finally find a maiden that wasn't seduced by his charms? He took great delight in that and couldn't hold his tongue.

"If I may my lord, is there a purpose to your line of questioning? Perhaps I could assist you further were I to know the situation." Ralph ventured carefully. Preparing himself for some kind of assault but luckily Reaver remained as he was only now he ran his fingers through his hair.

"I have found myself…lacking in this field. You see I happen to find myself interested in the most beautiful woman in Albion and I have yet to be able to sway her as quickly as I would like to. Yes I know, it is an oddity but I intend to make this woman my one and only, but unfortunately she is a little…wary of me which is understandable but I am at a loss for what to do next. All my efforts have caused me little progress so I assumed since an unsightly welp like you can convince a woman to be your wife perhaps you could give me better insight."

Ralph was to stunned by what Reaver had said he completely ignored the insult. He really had found a lass that wasn't interested in him. Hmph. Of course the ponce had to decide to settle down with someone that didn't want him. The whole "want what you can't have" was probably the biggest lure for him. Not that Reaver ever accepted not having what he wanted.

"Well…what is she like?" Ralph asked, if Reaver was actually interested in what he had to say he would attempt to aid the pirate lord in his endeavors. Reaver leaned back in his chair and placed both his arms behind his head. Staring up at the ceiling in a dreamlike manner.

"What can I say? She's incredible. She's gorgeous, she's kind but fierce. Strong but gentle. Fearless but cautious. The most honest and virtuous woman I have ever met. Really in that way we are complete opposites which could also explain her unenthusiastic behavior. I can't help but feel she has been taken advantage of her entire existence. She's so hell bent on taking care of others she has yet to give herself the time of day. I think if I asked for every last bit of gold she possessed she would give it to me without hesitation." Reaver paused before finishing. The next words that were about to leave his mouth was _I don't deserve her _but he refrained. If he was honest with himself he knew it was the truth. If she turned away from him forever he couldn't blame her. But he couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let that happen despite the costs. He was much to selfish for that. Sparrow was the only thing in this world he desired now and he would see that desire fulfilled.

"If she is as pure as you describe and she is hesitant because of your…moral standings then just do something to prove otherwise. Do one outrageous good deed to show you are a caring man and maybe she would come around quicker. I got to tell you my lord love doesn't happen overnight…I wouldn't be discouraged if she still isn't yours as quickly as you'd prefer." Ralph explained and Reaver stared at him with a blank expression which Ralph had realized that was the face he made when he was in deep thought. It used to alarm him because of the intensity of Reaver's eyes when he was consumed with thought. It's like they would turn a shade darker instantly.

"You know Ralph…that is not a bad idea. Especially for a halfwit like you. A good deed hm? I can arrange that." Reaver said with a devilish grin taking over his handsome features. Why hadn't he thought of it first? That way he could show Sparrow he wasn't the heartless demon she perceived him to be. Then she would fall for him he just knew it. An added bonus being that it took minimum effort on his part. He rolled his eyes when he saw that ugly mug was still sitting before him.

"You are dismissed. Be sure to keep me updated on the progress with our friends in Samarkand." Reaver said in his authoritative voice. Ralph stood and moved towards the door. Now knowing his boss hadn't listened to a word he had said expect for his womanly troubles. As soon as he opened the door and took a step he felt a bullet whiz past his head and clip his hair as it went. He froze and was almost to fearful to turn around but did it anyway. Reaver never missed and had he intended to kill him then he would have. The shot was meant to be a warning. For what he was unsure.

"Oh and Ralph, this conversation best be kept between us and forgotten at once. Wouldn't you agree?" Reaver said with a grin. His pistol drawn and aimed effortlessly at his head. That obnoxious honey voice was irritating after awhile but he nodded in compliance and made his way out of the mansion as fast as his feet could carry him. Leaving Reaver alone to finish constructing his next effort. He twirled his dragonstomper playfully in his hand. She would fall in love with him…wouldn't she? He didn't know. She was complex and contradictory. He had learned how to read women's body language during all his years of life and he could swear by her movements and reaction to his touch made him think if not know she wanted him. Yet her actions and words suggested otherwise. That wouldn't be troubling if he was just wanting to sleep with her. He could easily manipulate her into bed sooner or later but he was after her heart. He would kill every man in Albion if he had to, to ensure Sparrow was his.

He considered Ralph's words about love not happening overnight. He couldn't remember how long it took him to fall for his last love interest though he had to admit he had become smitten with Sparrow rather quickly. That could only mean one thing. Not some bloody love potion either! It meant she was meant for him. The woman he had quietly wished for on those cold and lonely drunken nights. When the company of whores and party goers just wasn't enough. He would have to wait until dinner to see her and make preparations for tomorrow to be a more promising one.

To his glee he heard a loud crash in the kitchen accompanied by the distinctive sound of plates shattering. He got up from his chair and cheerfully continued to twirl his pistol in his hand. Looks like he could quench one of his desires quicker then he had expected. With plenty of time for the maids to clean up the mess and dispose of the body before Sparrow came home. Joy.

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Sparrow couldn't help but retract her previous thoughts on the shopping experience. She was actually having a wonderful time. Even though anytime she went to pay for something Carrie would walk around behind her and pay for it before she could. When Sparrow scolded her she just kept saying she was following Reaver's orders, so she eventually stopped fighting it. She was now in proud possession of three pairs of pants and a few tops that weren't near as upscale as the ones Reaver had bought her but she refused to buy anything else knowing Reaver was paying for it. Now they were sitting in the salon with Reaver's bodyguards stationed outside causing them to be the only two customers inside. She knew neither of them could have looked at her directly because they hadn't once acted out of the ordinary. In fact she thought they were going to great lengths not to look at her at all. The notion of Reaver ordering his men not to so much as look at a woman he thought was _his _wasn't surprising though. She would have been offended if the act didn't save her a fair bit of trouble.

Turns out Carrie was right, there was apparently a lot of things to be done at the Salon. She was getting her hair washed and shampooed and she decided to let one of the stylists braid a few strands of her hair including her bangs on one side. That might actually stop the damn things from being in her face and it reminded her of the times she had in the gypsy camp. Most of them had styles similar to that. Including the men.

Now she found herself laying face down on top of a actually comfortable table and getting a massage. She was leery at first but as soon as she started Sparrow had no complaints. It felt amazing and she almost fell asleep. Carrie smiled over to her and teased

"If you enjoy it so much I'm sure Master Reaver wouldn't mind giving you a massage every now and then." Sparrow rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure he would." she answered in an annoyed way. Her eyes focusing on the green painted walls and the busts that held various wigs. It was a small building but seemed to have a lot of stuff crammed in their. Including three sinks and chairs along with mirrors on each wall. Reaver would probably love it here. Carrie tilted her head and couldn't help but ask.

"Lady Sparrow, do you not care for Reaver at all? You never seem to have anything nice to say about him and he tells me nothing but good things about you." The way she worded it was almost innocent and now Sparrow felt incredibly guilty. From an outside perspective who didn't know about the situation would probably think she was a complete bitch. Or even worse a gold digger. Reaver was going out of his way for her...despite his reasoning.

"Of course I care about him Carrie. I just…doubt his sincerity is all." She explained carefully. She really needed to at least act grateful. It was just frustrating. She couldn't even explain the entire situation to Carrie without sounding like a head case. To women especially.

"Oh, I can understand that. Master Reaver never seemed interested in any other woman the way he is interested in you. I actually prefer him this happy. He is nicer to us anyway." Carrie smiled. It was now her turn to get her hair washed and styled and she was sitting across from Sparrow so that they could still make eye contact. As stated the salon wasn't that big. Like every building in Bloodstone it seemed to be put together poorly. Almost every other floor board she stepped on creaked. Sparrow took an extra moment to examine Carrie. She was a very pretty girl. She wondered why a semi normal person like her ended up working for Reaver let alone living in Bloodstone. She was nice, didn't have a drinking or gambling problem and probably couldn't fight off so much as a wild wolf to save her life. She would have to get to know her better and even offer for her to run away with her and Hannah when all this was said and done and get her away from this cursed town. There was no decent future for her here. Not a sweet and beautiful girl like her. She may end up doing some sordid deeds just to get by.

"Have you slept with him?" Sparrow asked and almost slapped her hand over her own mouth in surprise. Woah, woah where did _that _come from! It wasn't any of her business or concern for that matter! What would have possessed her to ask something like that?! I mean it's not like she cared. If she met a woman in Bloodstone that Reaver hadn't had sex with would be more surprising then anything. Carrie blushed but then giggled and shook her head.

"No my lady. He knew of my prior relationship upon my employment. It didn't still his advances of course but as long as I am good natured about my refusal he usually just moves on to another maid or a guest at his parties. He even lets me visit my boyfriend every other weekend so long as I have preformed all my duties early and he doesn't need me. I promise lady Sparrow there is no reason to be jealous of me. I don't think any woman could distract him from you the way he acts around you." Carrie said smiling again. Even with personal questions she is polite and upbeat about it. Now it was Sparrow's turn to blush.

"I am not jealous. He is free to do whatever he wants with whoever he wants we are _not _together despite what he may think or say." Sparrow said firmly and closed her eyes. Trying to get her body relaxed again. This love business sure was nothing like the stories claimed it to be. All well. It would all be over in due time. Then she can go back to life like normal. She missed not having to worry about everything she said or did.

She decided as soon as they got back to the mansion she would jot down a few more pages in her journal and take a nice nap. That would probably make her feel much better. Some alone time again.

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When she awoke from her short nap she was actually surprised that she hadn't seen or heard from Reaver since this morning. It was nice but concerning. So much so when she was told it was time for dinner she rushed downstairs in hopes to find him. Realizing the real reason he probably wanted her to get out of the house was so he could meet with whatever war lords he needed to, to get his illegal operations going again. That seemed to be what made the most sense anyway. When she entered the dining room he was sitting in the same spot as he had the previous night and he smiled to greet her. She gave a quick smile back and took the seat on the right next to him. Before she could say anything he inquired

"How was your day my love?"

"It was much more fun then I thought it would be I have to admit. I don't think I have had a day like that before. Usually girl time meant me and Hannah beating up some bandits or getting drunk in a tavern somewhere." Sparrow chuckled. Reaver smiled and Sparrow looked him up and down briefly. When she spoke it really seemed like he was listening to every word she said. It was kind of pleasant. Before all of this when she spoke to Reaver she could just tell a million other things were pouring through his head except what she was saying. Probably ideas on how to seduce her no doubt.

"What about you? What did you do today?"

"Nothing of note really." Reaver sighed recalling every boring exchange he had with his subordinates. One even had the audacity to demand higher pay for all the hazards they had to endure. He promptly ended the poor sods life in plain sight of the rest of his crew to reestablish his relenting authority over them. Clearly his time away made them a little hazy on the way he operated but he fixed that straight away. Though Sparrow didn't need to know that. Or the incident in the kitchen earlier. When he had the time he would have to find him new staff. They always scared so easily after that and he was sure two or three of them would try to sneak off in the middle of the night. Only to be killed by his guards stationed outside. People were silly. "Business as normal. I'm sure you understand. So what did you buy? Get me any presents?" Reaver said with a charming grin. Sparrow shrugged and dug into her pocket.

"I did actually. Well I guess you bought yourself a present since I wasn't permitted to pay for anything." Sparrow chastised but in a friendly voice. Reaver looked down at her with curiosity. He was only joking but it was a welcome gesture none the less. Did that mean she was thinking of him today? That had to be a good sign, no? A little embarrassed at the quality of the gift she placed it on top on the table in front of Reaver. When he opened the box he smirked. It was a gold cigar case that could hold probably four cigars. She had a R engraved on it and along with some other eloquent designs. Sparrow felt more and more anxious since he hadn't said anything. It was her way of keeping peace with him and halfway to prove to Carrie she wasn't some slag hanging around Reaver just for him to throw gold at. Really she wasn't certain that Reaver smoked and it was in a way one of those gifts you got some forgotten uncle that showed up for a holiday that you had no idea what to get. The only thing she could think for sure that he would enjoy was some kind of gun and with his favored dragonstompers in his possession that wasn't an option. Plus she didn't want to think she aided in giving the pirate the tools he needed to keep taking life. When he still didn't say anything and just looked down at the gift with a small smile on his face she cleared her throat and said in a hurry

"I know you probably have like a million of them but I still hoped you would like it." Sparrow said twiddling her thumbs on top of the table. What did you get the man who had everything and could buy half the country tonight if he desired to do so. Reaver adored all her nervous little behaviors.

"I have one or two true but none were a gift from my little Sparrow so I will treasure it. Thank you my darling, that was very thoughtful." he answered and leaned over to give her a soft kiss on her forehead. Staying close to her for a few seconds to look deep into her eyes before sitting straight in his chair again. He noted that her hazel eyes were now mostly green with that golden hint running through them. The beauty of true hazel eyes was their ability to change colors under certain circumstances. She was wearing an emerald and gold long sleeved blouse so that probably aided in their appearance. He'd have to purchase her more green clothing just to see her eyes like that more often. Their dinner was brought out to them and Sparrow sighed when she saw the contents inside of her bowl. It was chicken noodle soup. She really should have expected it.

"I hope you don't mind having chicken two nights in a row, but I recalled it was your favorite dish so I informed the chefs to make it for you." Reaver smiled as he went ahead and helped himself to a large spoonful of his soup. With his hectic schedule today he hadn't had a chance to eat yet. Sparrow bit her lip and closed her eyes. These gestures were sweet but tainted and she just didn't know how to react to them anymore.

"Reaver…I really appreciate everything you are doing for me but you really don't have to go out of your way anymore." Sparrow said half hoping he would agree and ignore her for the rest of her time there.

"It's no trouble dear. I suggest you get used to it. I plan on doing my damnedest to make you happy everyday." Reaver retorted with breeze. Getting tired of fighting him she slowly allowed herself to become compliant. The soup was really good and it gave her the comfort she enjoyed thoroughly. Luckily he wasn't paying to close attention to her because she all but inhaled her soup in a matter of seconds. Long before Reaver had a chance to finish his. So in the meantime she helped herself to the rolls that were set out in a large bowl on the table. After Reaver finished and let out a satisfied sigh he got up from the table and stretched.

"Well dearest I had best turn in early this evening. I would recommend you doing the same. I have plans for us tomorrow morning that I would have you well rested for." Reaver stated and Sparrow raised an eyebrow.

"I had plans with Hannah tomorrow remember?" Sparrow countered and Reaver just shrugged.

"Oh you will be back in plenty of time to see your friend. I will have Carrie awake you at sunrise to get you ready." Reaver stated as he sauntered past her while she remained seated. Sparrow turned her head to him and said

"What plans? Another surprise?"

"You catch on quickly dearest. Trust me you will enjoy this surprise." Reaver said walking a few paces back to pull Sparrow to her feet and give her a gentle hug. Sparrow closed her eye and rested her head on his chest. The rhythmic sound of his heart beat was soothing to her for some reason. Maybe because for years she doubted he had one at all. Mmm. Why did he always smell so good?

"I hope you have a pleasant nights sleep tonight dearest. If anything disturbs you again you know where I am." he whispered into her ear and Sparrow smiled. She had really thought she would have been ridiculed about being fearful of silly nightmares but he seemed more concerned then she was. He lightly pushed her chin up with his index and middle fingers. He took in the beautiful sight before him for a moment before leaning down a claiming her lips with his. How it took everything he had to refrain from capturing those lips anytime he looked at her. To his joy she started to kiss him back, and what was supposed to be a simple kiss goodnight turned into one much more heated and gratifying. She threw her hand up and into his hair as the kiss intensified. With her eyes closed tightly she couldn't believe what she had started but was more surprised at how much she wanted it. When she heard a soft moan escape him she came to her sense and broke the kiss. Leaving the two to catch their breath for a few seconds. The desire burning in Reaver's blue eyes was luring but she shyly looked away and bit her lip. Well…that was different. Reaver took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself down but he was overjoyed with Sparrow's new reaction to him. If that was as far as it was going to go he would just have to accept it. The burn of her kiss and sweet taste was overwhelming and all he wanted was to grab her and re experience the kiss as he carried her off to his bedroom. _Stop it! You have to do everything right this time! She will let you know when she wants more. _He critiqued in his head. He smiled and stroked her cheek before turning to leave.

"Also my love, I really like your little braid." he winked then headed upstairs. Loosening his collar as he went. This sleeping alone was becoming increasingly difficult especially after being stimulated like that. No matter. It wouldn't continue for much longer he knew it. Meanwhile a confused and speechless Sparrow continued to stand in the dining room_. Okay…so you kissed him…and you liked it. No big deal. That didn't mean anything. That sure doesn't mean you want him. You were just…being polite…yeah…that made sense…kind of…_

With nothing else to do and her head swimming again Sparrow headed up to her own bedroom. She was surprised he hadn't offered to sleep with her again tonight. Or offered to sleep with her in more then one way. She changed into her pajamas in a hurry then flopped on top of her bed. Snuggling up to her spare pillows. Guess she would just have to get used to this kind of lifestyle for a little while. Since she had even went so far as to kiss him like that she would have to try out Hannah's ideas on how to repel him tomorrow so she could get herself together. Hopefully they would work.

Lucky for Sparrow she had didn't have a nightmare that night either. Instead…she was visited by a different dream. She was still in bed but a shirtless Reaver was on top of her, and kissing her passionately. She ran her nails down his back gently and felt the goosebumps on his skin arise from the action. He moved to kissing her neck and down to her breasts. She hummed a grateful moan and bucked her hips up meet him and the connection even through their clothing was thrilling. He quickly removed the rest of her clothes and she sat up to undo his belt and pants. Leaving a few soft kisses on his stomach just above his pant line as she did so. "_You're incredible." _He whispered to her in the dream. Once his pants and undergarments were successfully removed he gently guided her back down onto the bed. The intense look in his eyes made her anxious and when he leaned down to kiss her again he shoved himself inside of her. She let out a loud moan and clenched his back with both of her hands in desperation. The rest of the scene started to fade to black until it disappeared from her subconscious.

Sparrow shot up out of bed and panted like she had just ran a marathon race. Again when she awoke she was bathed in sweat and her heart pounded so fast in her chest she thought it was going to burst out of her chest. She looked to her left and saw her bed was empty and she was alone. Still she felt tiny tingles of pleasure creep throughout her body. When she got her breathing back under control she sighed. Now that couldn't have been good. She had never had a sex dream about _anyone _in her entire life. And with Reaver of all people? No…just calm down this was normal. Reaver was the only man she had, had any real contact with for a couple of days and the only man she had spent that much time with minus the only two other lovers she had. Thinking about it…she hadn't had sex in years. So it was only natural for something like that to come up after all that time. Despite her words to the contrary Reaver was very attractive man and women had needs after all. That's all it was. The kiss they exchanged just before she fell asleep couldn't have helped either. To exhausted to really sit and dwell on it she laid back down to go back to sleep. Feeling a little awkward being alone this time so she snuggled closer to her pillows. Yup…best she try and repel him quick, before her body took control instead of her head. The last thing she thought of before going back to sleep was the look in Reaver's eyes in the dream and the feeling on his skin on hers. Ugh. She really hated magic and vowed even on her death bed she would never drink another potion as long as she lived.

**A/N: **Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed and I hope my smut turned out okay. Have to admit I'm new to those kind of scenes. Let me know what you think, the next chapter should be up soon so leave me some reviews it would make me super happy lol. Thanks again. 


	7. Chapter 7

Day Three

As promised the second the sun rose on the horizon Carrie quietly unlocked the door to Sparrows room and gently nudged her awake. She was fearful since the last time she had awoken Sparrow (albeit by accident) it had resulted to a gun pointed at her head. Luckily she had yet to cause Reaver to react to her in the same way. Then again were he ever to, it would probably end both her employment and life. Reaver wasn't big on giving warnings or second chances. Sparrow mumbled something that sounded like "five more minutes" and Carrie smiled and let her sleep while she gathered up a nice outfit for her to wear and laid it on the bed next to her. She placed the gorgeous necklace and earrings Reaver had bought her on top of the outfit as a hint. She had heard Reaver pout about how he hadn't seen her wear it since the day he gave it to her. It was kind of nice to hear him pout about something as trivial as that. Miss Sparrow really must have found a way to claw through that tough exterior Reaver had polished for years for him to be so attentive to her. She even found herself hoping the two would work out in the end. When Sparrow spent her first night at the manor Carrie sincerely thought Reaver would bed her then send her out the door like everyone else. Then when he asked her to buy all those nice gifts for her to surprise her in the morning she knew Sparrow was different. She liked the idea of tending mostly to her. It would be a lot less stressful and probably be less life threatening.

She would have let Sparrow sleep a little longer but she had already spent the last hour boiling water for her bath and it had probably cooled down by now. Nothing was worse then a cold bath but defiantly guaranteed to wake you up in the morning. Besides once Sparrow was situated she had to prepare a bath for Reaver so she had to be hasty. She lightly shook Sparrow again. "Sorry Lady Sparrow, I'm afraid you have to wake now. I got a nice hot bath ready for you and the chefs should have your breakfast ready before you get out. Don't worry I'm sure you will be nice and alert after you bathe and eat something." Carrie said kindly and Sparrow groaned. She could never wrap her head around a "morning person". She knew if she had the power she would probably breath fire in the morning just to find peace. None the less she forced herself out of her warm covers and stretched. These few days of peace must have made her a little lazy. Each passing day she wanted to sleep more and more. She even had a nice nap yesterday and it still wasn't enough. She looked over to Carrie's smiling face and gave her a weak smile back.

"Good morning Carrie. You don't happen to know where Reaver wants to escort me to do you?" Sparrow asked. She had been trying to think of it a handful of times last night but she was drawling a blank. The few things there was to do in Bloodstone didn't seem like Reaver's style and she knew she would not desire anything this city had to offer either way. Carrie shrugged her shoulders and sighed

"I'm sorry my lady I'm afraid I don't. Must be something important to him though. I don't think I have seen him awake this early since his return to Albion." Carrie explained. Sparrow gathered up her clothes that were laid out by Carrie and headed towards the bathroom. Telling her it was okay to do whatever other chores she had to do and she could go about the rest of her morning alone. Once Carrie had skipped out of her room she opened her dresser drawer and fished out one of her pairs of pants instead of the skirt Carrie had laid out for her. Though she had to admit the simple pink top did match her jewelry this time so she decided she'd wear it. Maybe she should have her pick out all her clothes while she was there. Avo knows she needed the help. After she hid all the skirts and dresses that is.

She was now a little more accustomed to the manor and found the bathroom quickly on her own. She laid her clothes to the side and found comfort in the warmth of her bath. She was going to have to try a new combination of soaps and shampoo this time since all the ones sitting by the bath tub were foreign to her. Once she became completely awake and alert again she remembered the dream that had visited her last night. It was disturbing. The first sexual dream to ever enter her subconscious and of course it had to be about Reaver. Had her body finally urged her to fulfill her unwanted desires that she had neglected all these years? Great. Now in this awful predicament she just had to become stimulated didn't she? It's not like she could fulfill it anytime soon. She had already swore to herself she would never have sex with Reaver under any conditions even with this love spell. When he became sober he would just hang it over her head more then likely and if she picked some random man it would be like taking advantage of them since she couldn't truly know if they were interested or not. Still…she had to admit the dream wasn't necessarily a bad one and she would take it over her usual nightmares any day. What bothered her the most was it had to mean that Reaver had gotten to her on one level or another. Now she had to go on another outing with him that more then likely was meant to entice her. Damnit Reaver when were these gestures going to end? Your just making things harder on both of us. The only true trait the pirate and the hero shared was their stubbornness. So asking him repeatedly to cease was just wasted breath.

After she was clean she forced herself out of the bath and changed in a hurry. Her stomach was growling it's demands to her and breakfast was her favorite meal of the day if not only to give her a tiny bit of motivation to get moving in the morning. She raced into her bedroom to put her boots on then headed to the kitchen. She felt refreshed and all but once she sat down and got comfortable that sleepy haze started to take over again. She even caught her head drooping down to her chest as she sat and patiently waited for her breakfast. It should be illegal to be awake at this ungodly hour. When her plate was set before her she saw through half open eyes there was some fluffy scrambled eggs and crisp bacon waiting to be eaten. She gobbled up the eggs and nibbled on the bacon but just enough to keep her tummy from growling. She pushed her plate forward and decided to lay her head on the table. Just for a few minutes. After about twenty Reaver happily strode into the kitchen. With far to much cheer for someone awake at sun rise.

"Well dearest are you ready for…" he started and then noticed she hadn't moved since he walked in. He held his arm out to stop his servant that was following him in his tracks so that his loud clunking feet wouldn't wake her. Reaver inched his way closer until he confirmed that the precious little thing was snoozing peacefully on the kitchen table. She couldn't have been more adorable if she tried and it cut him to his core. With a warm smile he gently picked her up and cradled her in his arms. She shifted for a second to get more comfortable then laid her head on his chest. He made his way towards the front door and his servant carefully followed close behind, carrying all of his gear. Knowing one false move and he accidentally woke up his masters mate or dropped something it would mean a bullet piercing his heart.

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When Sparrow awoke for the second time that day she gasped out loud once she got a sense of where she was. She was back in bed but not her bed. Instead it was a much larger bed and all of her surroundings was wooden. Of what kind she didn't know right off. When she listened carefully she heard the sound of waves crashing against the ship…wait ship!? Was she on a ship? She threw the covers off of her and walked towards the door. Before she even opened the door it confirmed she was on a ship considering it took a fair bit of effort for her to get her bearings. She never acquired her "sea legs" so to speak so she stumbled out of the door with little to no grace and had to hold onto one of the closest pillars to stop herself from falling flat on her face. When she looked around she was surrounded by the blue ocean and the scent of the salty air overwhelmed her senses. Their were only a handful of crew members she saw at first and all were to busy to even notice her. Looking around she couldn't recognize where she was and now she was a little un easy.

"There you are love." She heard Reaver's voice from behind her and when she turned around she had to look up to see him. He was standing at the helm of the ship and steering the vessel. She was a little surprised…looking up at him with the ships wheel in his hands and the ocean air sweeping through his dark hair he looked…well a good deal more attractive then he normally was. Like he was where he was supposed to be. The confidence in his smile and his fearless eyes actually seemed to fit instead of being the usual annoyance. She knew he was a pirate and she knew he was even considered the king of all pirates in Albion but for some reason she had never pictured him on a ship before. Maybe because she had never seen him on one before and she more or less pictured him with a gun in his hand or with a whore wrapped around him. This image was defiantly preferred and thank Avo the sun was constricting a proper view of her or else she would be caught gawking like a little girl getting a glimpse of their crush. She shut her gapping mouth and turned her eyes back to the sea. Trying to guess where they were headed before their arrival. Sudden flashes of her dream reentered her head without permission. His lips on hers and the feeling of her nails digging into the smooth skin of his back. She shook it off and bit her lip. Great, now that was back in her head.

Reaver ordered for one of his henchmen to take the wheel then walked down to greet Sparrow properly. He noticed for the first time that day that she was wearing the jewelry he had gotten her and took it as a small victory. He would have spoken right away but he found himself lost her eyes. With the glorious blue of the ocean around her they had changed to a paler blue to match. That beautiful golden lines mixed in enticing him. Hm. Now he'd have to deeply consider which color he preferred her eyes but the green currently was still his favorite and he would almost bet that, that was the color they were without any influence.

"Glad you decided to join me dearest. I was afraid your sleepy self was going to miss the splendor that is this morning. It truly is a fine day to be at sea." he said and his charming smile effected her very differently today. She smiled and said

"Yes it is…" her eyes gave him a quick once over, up and down and damnit if he didn't look gorgeous again today. Damn you Reaver. Damn you. "Where…um where are we going and more importantly why did you bring me on board without my consent?" Sparrow caught herself quickly since there was no way he missed that look and the wider smile on his face was proof enough for that.

"It is a surprise silly girl but to answer your question without giving it away we are going to Brightwood and I didn't want to disturb you. You are absolutely adorable when you are asleep. If you saw the content look on your face you would understand my turmoil." Reaver explained and Sparrow refused to look at him directly for a while. She almost felt embarrassed. Like Reaver somehow would know about the dream she had if they made eye contact or something.

"Brightwood huh? I haven't been there in awhile, but it's mostly just farmland, why are you taking me there?" Sparrow insisted.

"You will find out soon, love. We should be reaching our destination shortly. In the meantime lets just enjoy the view of the sea and the warm sun." Reaver smiled and walked to lead her to the edge of the ship where they could get the best view. Sparrow tried her best to follow him but lost her balance again. When Reaver turned his head he had to stop himself from chuckling in case she thought he was making fun of her. It wasn't uncommon for people to have a hard time adjusting to the way the ship softly shifted from one side to another. Especially for those who rarely took a step on a ship. He made his way back to her and said "It's alright dearest. You can hang on to me for support. I won't let you fall." Reaver smiled and without any other options and the fear of looking like a complete idiot she took a few steps and she wrapped her arm around his waist and he wrapped his around her shoulders and led her forward. She tried her best to step in time with him and it didn't take long before she found her balance again.

Being this close to Reaver she was reminded how much shorter she was to him. The top of her head barely reached his chin. Normally she was irritated with her height and how most men pretty much lorded over her but with her arm wrapped around him it didn't seem to bother her as much. They reached their destination and she immediately let go of him but Reaver kept her close. Dropping his arm from her shoulders to snuggly around her waist. Sparrow felt even more uncomfortable and damnit if those images from her dream didn't flash vividly in her mind. With her face burning red she decided to say something, anything to keep him distracted.

"I have to admit Reaver, this is one of the nicest ships I have ever been on. You must take good care of it." She voiced while looking around. The craftsmanship was exquisite and if she didn't know better she would guess that the ship was either freshly made or recently purchased. The smell of the wood seemed to linger and she kind of enjoyed it. Reaver scoffed and said

"Tut tut dearest, this is hardly my finest vessel. Merely a small carrier used for quick deliveries or fast escapes. Since time was of the essence for you today I decided it was the most appropriate." Reaver explained and a wave of anger hit him suddenly. He did not care for sharing Sparrow's time with someone else. Least of all the obnoxious so called monk. It didn't bother him so much a day or so ago but today it was burden gnawing away at him. He hid his sinister smile from Sparrow. He had already taken the necessary steps in being rid of that awful girl forever. Just had to be patient now.

"I can show you my favorite ship when we get back home if you would like. We can sail the seas together one day. There is so much I want to show you. There is a small island on the coast that I think you will find your preference. Believe it or not I am on friendly terms with the natives there so we can stay as long as you like. The palm tree's there provide the sweetest fruit I have ever tasted and the sun burns so hot you could almost pull out fully cooked lobsters from the very waters." Reaver smiled then grimaced when he looked back at Sparrow. She was fixated on the horizon and was subtly inching her way away from him. He let her go and placed both of his hands on the edge of the ship. She was so troubling sometimes. Could they not have a pleasant conversation without her fighting him?

"Why won't you look at me? Have I upset you?" his hurt tone broke whatever barriers Sparrow had put up. Slowly she turned her head back to him and she couldn't help but smile. Being on the sea it was confirmed that Reaver's eyes were the exact matching color of the ocean. Pirate or not Sparrow was positive that Reaver belonged on the sea in one way or another. Now that was she supposed to say? _"Sorry Reaver I'm trying not to jump your bones right now?" _That couldn't end well.

"I'm sorry. I had another dream last night so I'm just a little distracted." Sparrow said simply and left it at that. Which technically wasn't a lie. Reaver was a little relived and kissed the top of her head and brought her close to him again.

"I told you, you could wake me if that happened again dearest. Don't fret however, in days to come you will be to happy to let such horrors enter your mind again. I promise." Reaver smiled. Sparrow sighed. He was making this very difficult. Suddenly he let go of her and from what she could tell they had stopped. Looking up she raised an eyebrow. Since when was there a dock in Brightwood? Most of the land was unpopulated save the bit she owned. As if he read her mind Reaver said

"Convenient isn't it? I had this built a couple of months ago. There are a few caves near here that were told to hide riches and my men found it difficult to keep dragging them back and forth on the road. Bloody bandits. Anywhom, off we go dear." Reaver took her by the waist and led her off the ship and onto the small dock. He grabbed another shoulder bag before rejoining her. He told her to follow him and without another word, made his way into Brightwood. Sparrow remained behind for a few seconds before carefully following him. Her head turned back towards the ship, in wonder if any members of his crew were supposed to be following them or not. Looks like they were to busy to even notice the two had left and then she couldn't help but feel nervous. That meant that it was just going to be her and Reaver wherever they ended up. She felt reassured that she had the sense to grab one of her pistols before irresponsibly passing out on the kitchen table. She was usually a pretty light sleeper so how he was able to pick her up and carry her onto a ship without waking her up she had no clue. She must be letting herself get to comfortable around him.

He led her deeper and deeper into the wilderness. Stopping a few times to get a good look at his surroundings before continuing, which she assumed was to confirm they were going the right way. Their path together was unusually quiet considering her journey was accompanied by the narcissistic pirate lord. When they reached a hillside and Reaver continued forward she paused. Now they were going to climb uphill? It was a good thing she chose to wear her pants over her skirt and the only shoes she owned was boots or else this would be a very unpleasant and difficult route to follow. She couldn't hold her tongue and blindly follow him anymore.

"Reaver seriously where are we going?" She asked just to be answered by Reaver's deep chuckle. He tsked at her.

"Come now Sparrow, where is your sense of adventure?" Reaver asked as he walked up the hillside. Now she happened to notice that he also was wearing simple clothing that would be meant for hiking or various activities outside. Leather pants that clung to him in all the right places and a common white shirt and matching leather vest. She felt herself redden. It was funny how the more common he dressed the more attractive she found him. Surely it should be the other way around? She couldn't help it. She loved strong men that weren't afraid of getting dirty. As mentioned she rarely found a man that could be considered stronger then her physically and she long ago gave up the hopes of finding one. Lets be honest the only reason Reaver was dressed that way was because he didn't want to get his nice clothes dirty. Not exactly the robust man of her dreams.

"_My _sense of adventure? Your one to talk. The mighty king of thieves has resorted to allowing his henchmen to do all his dirty work for him? I am revoking your crown sir." Sparrow smirked and he chuckled again.

"True, true. I have gotten a little indolent over the years but I always handle all the difficult heists myself." Reaver smiled. "Especially when they are of interest. Like ancient stones hidden in crypts near decrepit cemetery mansions for example." Reaver said and turned his head to wink at her. Sparrow raised her eyebrow. She recalled hearing a similar rumor about a stone in the Bowerstone Cemeteries that concerned her. She even went so far to buy the mansion just to try and find some clues about the stones location. From the word on the streets, (legends really) their were a group of lost souls that were tied to the stone so she set out to free them. Sparrow looked through every crypt, every gravestone, every square inch of it but she saw no sign of the stone or even proof it ever existed. So she just chalked it all the up to rumors.

"Reaver did you find the Stone of Myr'Bregothil?" she asked after she remembered the name of the fabled stone.

"Hm? Sorry dear I have no idea what you are talking about." Reaver smirked. His voice mocking innocence. Which only made it more obvious that he had. Sparrow absentmindedly clenched her fists. The only way Reaver used to talk to her was in a mocking and condescending tone. It was one of the biggest reasons she couldn't stand the thief. Well…before. Now he was tolerable and pretty charming. Still that voice reminded her of the spell and to not get attached. After a few minutes of continuing to walk up the hill Sparrow scoffed.

"How much farther is this surprise Reaver? Also explain to me why all of your surprises have to involve a large amount of walking and being outside?"

"Just up ahead dearest and most people would find it romantic." Reaver chuckled and Sparrow just ended up getting even more frustrated. Even when she tried to annoy him he just laughed it off and was good natured about it. He was true to his word however and in just a few more footsteps they were on top of a large hill over seeing a valley beneath them. Reaver sat down after he laid a blanket down on the tall green grass. Without waiting to be summoned she sat down next to him. Eagerly wanting to give her feet some relief. She was used to walking greater distances of course but no matter how little she walked or how often she did it her feet would end up aching. Ugh. Reaver didn't say a word. He simply was staring down into the valley with a soft smile on his face. Sparrow followed his train of sight and for the first time noticed there was several men in the valley and it looked like they were constructing something. Some men were stomping down the ground and working on the foundation while others were putting up a nice wooden fence around the perimeter. Why would he drag her out this far just to show her this? The construction site was even right by the main road. She knew where they were now. A couple of miles ahead was Giles old farm. One that she bought once he and his son wanted to move to Bowerstone for a different life. A nice young couple was now tending to the prosperous farm since she wouldn't know how to properly take care of it.

"It's going to be an orphanage." Reaver spoke after a few more moments of silence. Sparrow looked over to him in disbelief. How could he know…did he buy the land just to have an orphanage built there? But why? It didn't make any sense. Reaver wouldn't do that.

"What?" was all Sparrow thought to say. Reaver smiled a little wider.

"They are building an orphanage here. There was few decent places to put one and considering the distance it would be accessible to all the major cities in Albion so that no child could go without a home. I have provided enough gold for them to keep going for a year, what with new clothes, food and basic medical supplies and after that donations from the temple of light and donations to the orphanage it's self should keep it running smoothly. My men have already confirmed the temple of lights cooperation." Reaver explained. His eyes remaining on the construction to make sure it was running smoothly. Sparrow was speechless. She never considered building an orphanage. The amount of gold needed was outrageous since you needed staff and all the other things he had mentioned. She didn't consider it possible yet he just threw all this together?

"…Why?" Sparrow couldn't help but ask. There was a catch. There had to be a catch. There was no other explanation. Reaver shrugged and looked over to her at last. She partially wished he hadn't because the light hidden in those sea colored orbs was gripping at her heart relentlessly.

"To be honest dearest after having heard of your unfortunate past I wondered why you didn't have a refuge of your own. Then I realized Albion had no such organization so I decided to build one. You expressed to me what fueled you the most was the attempt that no child grew up the way you were forced to. So I thought with my aid you may very well find it achievable."

Sparrows heart dropped into her stomach. She had mixed feelings about it but she was still flabbergasted that it was even possible. Then she realized there wasn't a catch but more or less this still stemmed from Reaver's selfish desire.

"So you built it to impress me and not for the actual good in it. Not because you care…not because it's who you really are." Sparrow told herself out loud. Trying not to be overwhelmed at his choice. She really was beyond appreciative and all but she couldn't trust it. There was no way the pirate and king of thieves would choose to do something like this out of the kindness of his heart. Reaver tried his best to keep calm and even bit his tongue not to lash out at her but it failed.

"This is who I really am!" Reaver shouted and Sparrow jumped back a bit. She had never heard Reaver's voice get that loud. He was always to reserved for that. She subconsciously reached for her pistol and after a few short breathes he lowered his voice but his obvious anger was not even attempted to be refrained. "Look Sparrow, I have walked countless years in the shadow. Taking what I wanted, destroying whoever stood in my way and killing for the sheer ungodly thrill of it. I forgot how to be a decent human being because after what I did to the only people I cared about I didn't consider myself one anymore. I don't expect you to understand nor am I making excuses for myself but damnit I am trying! I am not saying all those years didn't change me, because they certainly did. Yes I am still the most selfish man Albion has ever seen, yes I am still as much of deviant as I was two years ago and yes this orphanage was built because of your influence but not because I am trying to "impress" you but because I consider you one of if not the only important factor in my life now and I think of you in every step I take and every decision I make. Did I not vow to make you happy everyday? I know what I have done. More so then you do but I cannot change my past anymore then you can change yours. I am asking you to put all of that aside and focus on the present. For you to assume I have ulterior motives in my acts to prove to you I am not some heinous monster is starting to become…hurtful."

When Reaver finished and Sparrow saw the saddened look on his face she sighed. Maybe she had been to hard on him. He could have simply dumped a bunch of gold on a hungry family if he was just trying to fool her but instead he decided to build an orphanage that would hopefully last for the years to come. Really…he had done more good in a day then she had in months. The sorrow that reflected in his eyes was agonizing and she reached over to place her hand on top of his. She cleared her throat before softly saying

"I apologize. I shouldn't leap to any conclusions about you like that. Just understand I am not used to…well anything like this, and half the time anyone gave me a good gesture it was followed by some kind of betrayal or deeper plot to exploit me for all I'm worth. I really appreciate all of this Reaver. I really do. It is the sweetest thing I have seen anyone do in a long time. I don't even know what to say." Sparrow gave him a small smile and lightly squeezed his hand. He smiled and all signs of his anger disappeared in an instant and he was refilled with the warm and content feeling he got when he looked into her eyes.

"No dearest I apologize. Under no circumstances should I speak to you so harshly. Incase it wasn't obvious I am foreign to this as well. I am glad you are happy. That is all I ever aspire to do." Reaver smiled.

"So, when do you think Reaver Orphanage is going to be up and running?" Sparrow asked sincerely curious. She begrudgingly knew several young children in westcliff that was in desperate need of such a place. She assumed it would be named after him considering every ship in his legion was his name accompanied by a number. He merely raised his eyebrow to her.

"I thought the point of charity was to remain anonymous?" This surprised her even more. He wasn't even going to take credit for it? Not even as a tax write off? Wow. Maybe he did have a lot of good in him. Hidden beneath all that arrogance and bravado.

"Well yeah but you like to slap your name on everything it seems. I just assumed." Sparrow smiled. Realizing that was the very thing she had just promised she wouldn't be doing. It was kind of nice looking at Reaver with a blank slate. Avo knows if this was how he had initially acted upon their first meeting then she probably would have fallen hard for the thief. Guess it was good things turned out the way they had. Reaver chuckled.

"Yes, but besides the charity I have several reasons to be anonymous. I have a bit of a reputation I have to uphold in Albion's underground and if word were to get around of my softer side it could very well be the end of me. I can hear the chastises and ridicule already." Reaver said with a roll of his blue eyes. She giggled. Guess that would look a little funny. A pirate building a home for lost and wayward children? If she wasn't seeing with her own eyes she wouldn't have believed it.

"Oh and you own the little farm close to here don't you? I hope you don't mind but I thought it would be a nice place for the children to visit from time to time. Children seem to be found of animals. Even the common ones found on farms." Reaver said after a few seconds of silence. Sparrow smiled. She never imagined hearing such a sentence leave Reaver's lips. He was…so different then she thought he would be. Even knowing he was under a spell.

"Yeah they do. I know I always did. I will talk to the owners, I know they won't mind. Last I talked to them they were trying to have some children of their own." Sparrow commented and she was well aware her hand was still on top of his but she didn't move it nor did Reaver seen to care. "Your really doing Albion a lot of good you know. I never thought this possible."

Reaver shifted uncomfortably and lightly removed his hand from hers. She narrowed her eyes. Now she was afraid she had upset him. With a sigh and that talented fake smile returning to his face he said

"Oakvale had an orphanage you know?" Sparrow smiled nervously but didn't know what to say. Despite his claims to the contrary it was apparent in his movements and change of tone, anytime he spoke of Oakvale it bothered him. "That's why I was surprised Albion didn't already have one constructed considering the progression over hundreds of years. Looks like there was more lost then I had imagined."

"Well, it's a good thing we have a survivor to remind us then huh?" Sparrow said as lightly and carefree as she could. She leaned over to plant a soft kiss on his forehead in attempt to relieve him of the horrid thoughts that were no doubt swirling in his mind. His smiled changed to a true one and he rested his head on hers and savored the closeness she had willingly brought to him.

"Survivor and destroyer aren't exactly the same luv, but I appreciate the sentiment." Reaver answered in the softest voice she had yet to hear him speak. When he turned his eyes back up to her it felt like an eternity had passed between the two. Merely looking into each others eyes and the world pausing around them. Sparrow was the first to shake herself out of the trance. She cleared her throat and decided to broach the subject for the last time.

"Reaver…you don't have to talk about Oakvale anymore if you don't want to. I won't make you talk about anything that makes you uncomfortable."

"No darling it's quite alright. I don't mind talking about it with you. I wish you could have seen it in it's prime my love. Bowerstone be damned, Oakvale was the glory city of Albion." Reaver smiled and she smiled back. Okay…one last question…

"Alright. I have one more thing to ask you but that will be it for a good long time about your past as far as Oakvale is concerned. I only ask because it has bugged me since the moment I met you." Reaver raised his eyebrow in curiosity. He was determined to be honest with her (well to the best of his ability) so he braced for the worst.

"What is your true name?" Sparrow had to try and not giggle as Reaver rolled his eyes and whined like a little boy would when asked to do a chore. "Must you?" he asked and Sparrow nodded her head anxiously. With a deep exasperated sigh he took a quick look around to ensure no living soul was around to possibly hear him. Just to be one hundred percent sure he stretched over to her as close as humanly possible and whispered the unwanted name in her ear. A stab in his heart was felt once he had finally said it after all this time. She smiled and looked back at him. Well that wasn't so bad. She assumed a part of the reason he had taken on another name or alias was because it was embarrassing or something. She actually liked the name and couldn't recall if she had ever heard it before.

"I think I prefer that to Reaver." she said jokingly knowing it wouldn't be well received. It wasn't.

"I don't." Reaver said with his face showing the up most seriousness. "I won't set a lot of restrictions for you Sparrow but I must ask you to never say that name aloud and especially not to address me by it. My feelings for you aside, that man is no more nor should he be acknowledged."

Sparrow suddenly felt a…playful streak sweep her from out of no where. She leaned even closer to him so that there noses were almost touching. "Or else what?" the tiny smirk on her face and gleam in her eye told Reaver she was teasing and he felt his stomach do little flips because of it. He smirked back at her.

"You already told me you would never hurt me. So what's to stop me from running around Bloodstone shouting your true name about to all your loving citizens?" She said as jokingly as she could. Of course she would never do it. Even if rude obnoxious Reaver had asked her not to she wouldn't. She was a big believer in privacy and was proud of the fact she was one of the best people in the world to confide in. She didn't know how a lot of people could live in gossip and rumors. Just leave people alone and what was well enough alone. Hannah was bad about gossip back in the day. Telling her stories of people she had never met and all there black deeds.

"Dearest, there are plenty of ways I could punish you without so much as harming a hair on your pretty little head." Reaver teased back. Many, many delicious ideas flooded his head and they were much more welcome then the previous ones. Now this she had see.

"Oh yeah? Like what? You going to scold me?" She said and stuck her tongue out at him. Now Reaver couldn't contain himself and he leapt on top of her. Sparrow held her breath, now a little afraid of what was going to come next. As promised he didn't hurt her but instead he started to tickle her under her ribcage mercilessly. She gasped to let out a loud laugh but Reaver clamped his mouth on hers before she could. Between kisses she was able to get out a few struggled breathes along with some chuckles. Now she was flushed with both embarrassment and from his tickling. What were they, two teenagers sneaking out of their parents homes?

"Rea…ver…stop…it…" She managed to get out between breathes and she couldn't lie, she was actually having a little bit of fun. As childish and corny as it may have been. She even found herself enjoying the feeling of his lips on hers and even missing them even if they were only parted for few seconds for breath.

"I'm not quite sure if you've learned your lesson yet, my sweet." Reaver smirked but paused in his actions to savor the flushed look on her face and the feeling of her body beneath his. Now he realized he had to stop or else he wasn't sure if he would be able to contain himself. Gods above she was beautiful. Even now with a few blades of grass nestled in her fair hair. Was she this adorable just to taunt him? He was beginning to think so. Sparrow wasn't about to lose even this game and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She was going to flip him over and off of her and Reaver realizing this and noticing the instability of the ground he warned "Be careful" but it was to late. As soon as Sparrow attempted to flip him off of her there balance was set off and before either knew it they were rolling down the opposite side of the hill. When they landed Reaver had somehow managed to maintain on top of her and what was a little shocking was both Sparrow and Reaver were chuckling loudly at their little tumble. She was completely thrown back by this. Reaver was so posh and had to be prestige all the time she was positive he would be furious if no other reason then, because he got dirty. Instead he was laughing just as much as she was.

"My, my Reaver have you become a teenager? I never thought you'd be so corny." Sparrow said after she finally stopped laughing. Her ribs were aching and her cheeks were sore from all the laughing and smiling she had experienced in such a short time. It stood as proof that she didn't laugh or smile all that often. Reaver grinned and reached down to brush some grass out of her hair.

"You make me feel like one." Reaver said tenderly. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. How he wanted to just take her then and there. He being on top of her in that way and their bodies pressed so close together wasn't helping. He had to try and distract himself or else his…excitement would be obvious.

"Is this how you got all the village girls to fall for you? I think I would have preferred to meet teenager Reaver. He's more fun." Sparrow teased. She was finding that she rather enjoyed getting a rise out of him. She stuck her tongue out at him which properly silenced his immediate comeback. He just stared at her pink little tongue in between those pearly whites. She must, stop that.

"Ah, no you wouldn't have, he was a blundering idiot. He wouldn't have known how to so much as speak to a woman as gorgeous as you. He would probably have just gawked at you from afar."

"You? Surely not." Sparrow smiled and Reaver shrugged.

"What can I say? I was well into my twenties before I knew how to properly seduce a woman, but I would gladly have had a roll in the hay with you even then. Well grass in this instance." Reaver smirked and Sparrow suddenly realized he was still on top of her. Almost in the same fashion as her dream. She felt that heat run through her again and her body was all tingly. She just…couldn't stop herself. All she wanted was to feel Reaver's lips on hers again. She gently grabbed Reaver by the back of his head and brought him down to her lips where she kissed him earnestly. He was happily surprised and kissed her back with the same intensity. A little confused as to why confessing he was a foolish prat in the past was a turn on for her, but he'd take it. Sparrow just had to tangle her hand in his hair. It was always so perfectly styled she had always figured it would have a greasy or slick feel but actually it was the opposite. It felt just as soft as it looked underneath her fingertips and while his tongue anxiously explored her mouth she let out a soft moan and clenched her hand tighter in his hair. She subconsciously raised her hips up to meet him and the hungry growl that came from the back of his throat just encouraged her more. Her head was spinning and her body was screaming for more of his touch and kisses she didn't even know if this was fantasy or reality anymore and a part of her didn't care.

She slid her hand underneath his shirt and was delighted the feel the chiseled muscles in his stomach and she rubbed her thumb back and forth over them. Reaver wasn't sure what he was supposed to do now. She was complicated and he didn't want to upset her or scare her off if he went to far but by Skorm was she making it difficult. He decided to give her soft kisses and gentle nibbles along her neck to her breast was safe though he wanted to rip the shirt clean off of her. When he raised his eyes up and away from her he frowned and sighed. Sparrow was horrified to feel Reaver reach for the pistol that hung loyally at his side and as soon as it was out of it's holster she gasped and let out a frightened squeak. She knew it! All of this was just an elaborate act to kill her! There she was falling for his tricks again! It was just history repeating it's self.

Sure enough a shot rang out but it wasn't directed at her. Instead she heard the pirate's bullet find it's target and she heard a gross squish sound. When she looked behind her she saw a dead hobbe only about eight feet from where they laid. She looked back up to Reaver a little uneasy but he had already put his dragonstomper back in it's holster. He stroke her cheek to calm her since he could tell the sudden shot startled her a little.

"Apologies love, the damned little beast was getting to close for my liking." he said with a smile. Now she was hurled with mixed emotions. She was relieved, but embarrassed that she had just had a hardcore kissing session with the pirate and guilty that her mind still automatically jumped to assuming the worst in Reaver. When really he was trying to protect her if anything. Now she knew her face was a fresh red that was burning so hot it would probably be stained that way. She lightly pushed on Reaver's chest to signal it was time for him to get up. With a deep sigh he quickly obeyed but he would be willing to give his left hand just to continue as they were. All well. The gesture was successful and he actually had her laughing there for a little while. Her body language and way she spoke suggested she had trust in him finally so he would take that as a win for now. Though if one more thing stopped them when he was so close he would go mad and kill everything in sight. Well, save Sparrow.

They shared a few words before leaving and heading back to the ship. He let her lead the way and watched the way her hips swayed back and forth as she walked. Clearly the heat and lust for her wasn't going to fade away anytime soon but he didn't want to be pushy on the subject. She already had it in her head that he was a sex obsessed womanizer which wasn't far from the truth, but he didn't want that view of him to stay in her head because he was over eager. Though good lord with the tightening in his pants and the gorgeous woman in his presence he was finding it difficult. Usually anytime he felt this way he simply corrected the problem by finding someone pretty then having his way with them, soon after showing them the door. He could chat up the cute red head in his kitchen while Sparrow was asleep and then…No! Control yourself! This is the only woman worth your time and effort don't ruin it simply because you wanted to get laid! Besides it will be so much better when she willingly comes to him and obviously he was getting close.

He could be patient. Even on the trip home all they did was sit together and stare at the ocean. Her back laid against his chest and she sat in between his legs. Not a word need be spoken. Just basking in each other's warmth and closeness. Enjoying one another's company. Now that he had his arms wrapped around her and the glory and silence of the sea surrounded them, he was aware that this was actually his favorite part of their morning.

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It had been hours since they had arrived back at the manor and still no sign of Hannah. Sparrow was starting to get impatient. Where could she be? She was desperate to speak to her about all this…well all that she was feeling. She dodn't know what to call it. It's like she was a hormonal kid again. She couldn't help herself. She actually was greatly enjoying Reaver's company and the comfort he gave her. Who was the one under the spell after all! It had only been three days for crying out loud! Now what? She was willing to throw away her beliefs and morals just to have a good time? She wasn't like that! She was never like that. Even the two boyfriends she had in the past, she was with them for months or at least several weeks before she had sex with them and that was during a legitimate relationship. Not this. This was just wrong no matter how you looked at. Sure, were Reaver of a sober mind he'd probably still want to sleep with her but if she did it now it was just like taking advantage of him. Plus the point she shouldn't sleep with him at all for several other reasons.

She twirled her blade in her hand like a baton as she sat on the cold floor of her room. Sad to say it was one of her only means of comfort. Feeling the grip of the hilt and hearing the whistling sound of the sword slicing through the quiet air soothed her. She often thought the only life she was meant for was battle since such things could still provide her comfort. She started to think as rationally as she could without being clouded by her emotions. It was a lot more simple then she was making it out to be. Of course she was easily aroused now. It had been years since her last sexual encounter and Reaver was a very attractive man who would be willing to satisfy her. There was no deeper meaning behind it other then those two facts. She wasn't weak. She could fight off her bodies urges, all she had to do was focus. Of course since Reaver was a much more pleasant human being to be around now so his attraction was only bound to grow. Hmph. Maybe she should go back to the plan of bailing and damn the consequences.

Then it hit her. She still hadn't tried Hannah's plans to repel him yet! What did she have to lose and for all she knew they would work. That way he'd want to spend less time with her and therefore she would be less tempted. Okay, think. There's got to be some way she could bring up one of those topics to him without seeming obvious that she was trying to throw him off of her. She looked through the drawers of her dresser and in the bottom drawer she found some measuring tape pushed back in the corner. A smirk came across her face as a scheme formed in her head. She grabbed the tape and marched down stairs and into the study where she knew he would be. She saw that he was sitting at his desk looking over some papers but after the initial glance she ignored him completely and began to measure everything in sight. The door frame, the bookshelves, the walls, everything.

Reaver watched this act in curiosity and let her continue until she had been in there for several minutes without saying a word to him. He got up from his chair and made his way over to his cupboard where his finest wine and scotch were and pulled out two glasses incase she wanted one.

"Dearest, may I inquire what it is that you are doing?" Reaver asked and Sparrow didn't answer him right away. Instead she kept as serious of a face as she could like she was in deep concentration. Reaver watched her scurry about the room and tried to decipher for himself what his little song bird could be up to. "Do you want a desk for yourself in here as well? I'm sure one could fit nicely over here. Oh, how darling would we appear then? Of course we could do far more then just study in here were it your desire." Reaver smirked and Sparrow still seemed focused on his task. He shrugged and started to pour her and himself a glass of wine.

"No nothing like that, Reaver. I got to get all the right measurements, since we have to haul most of this stuff out of here to make room." Sparrow said repressing a smile. Reaver was now more then interested in what she was doing. Take all of his things out of _his _study? What on bloody earth for?

"To what end?" he asked cautiously.

"Well I think this would be the best room for the nursery. It's defiantly the most spacious and with it being in the center of the house it would be easily accessible from any room don't you think?" She couldn't resist turning her head around to Reaver whose face had turned ghost white and the look of shock and horror was more then comical. She had to turn back around to hide the wide smile that shined on her face because of this. Reaver cleared his throat and tried to maintain his composure but he wasn't sure he could.

"Nursery…we…we would need a nursery?"

"Of course! We would need a big one though and I'm not quite sure if this room will be up to par or not. Since I want six or seven it might still be a bit small. I'm not sure…what do you think?"

She turned back over to him and bit her tongue as hard as she could so that she wouldn't laugh. The horrified look on his face was still there and he while he was staring at her he had completely forgotten that he was pouring some wine in the glasses and it was now overwhelming and dribbling down the cupboard. He finally realized and placed the near empty bottle of wine back down. He tugged at his collar nervously.

"Se…seven? You want seven children?" Was all he could manage to get out. He hadn't felt this kind of panic in…he couldn't remember. A child was extremely difficult, especially for him who had literally never so much as held an infant, but seven? He knew farm owners who had less children. What in Albion had gotten into her? Sparrow screamed in triumph in her head. So far plan number one had worked like a charm! She could look forward to the next at least five days in peace. Maybe he'd even let her wander around with Hannah in Bloodstone and out of the manor without being hounded by his guards.

"Yes. To start. We'll see how I feel after that. Always wanted a big family you know." She added for good measure. Exasperated Reaver flopped into the nearest chair to him. He rubbed his temple and repeated "Family" in an almost melancholy tone. He knew those options had long ago escaped him. Even if he ever desired it. Burying friends or even lovers was one thing but your children…hell what did he even know? He never had a father to speak of and children were always in the need of _something. _Not only that but so fragile, both physically and mentally. How was he going to face this one?

"I'm no father, love." he said in more of a warning then anything. When he looked into those hazel eyes of hers how could he deny her anything that would make her happy? Sparrow watched as his entire exterior changed. Not his tone or words but his body language was that of a defeated man. She had never imagined seeing him that way. Well she couldn't turn back now…

"What can I say Reaver that's what I want. Maybe were not a good pick for each other after all." Sparrow said firmly. Reaver stared blankly at the wall in front of him for a few minutes but snapped out of his pit of negative thoughts and memories. This wasn't going to break him. If this was the trials he had to bare to keep the only thing that matters to him then so be it. He wasn't weak. Not anymore. With the plans he had in store anyway…she would change her mind. After a long sigh he stated

"Darling I really think we should enjoy our time together for a few good years before we have children. That and let's start off with two or three at first and go from there. I think I can handle that. Also I don't think you realize the kind of stress you can put your body through bearing all those children and no I'm not talking about weight I am speaking more or less internal problems. After a doctor assures me you are fit to carry more without causing you any damage we will discuss having four or five. I hate the idea of you being sick and in pain all that time anyway." Reaver said and seemed to perk up after that sentence. The light returning to those blue beauties of his.

Now Sparrow was the one to panic. Did he just…did he just agree to have children with her. No…she must have misheard him. Surely he meant to say "Hell no" or "Get out of my house."

"What…?"

"Of course you will be tended to by the finest physicians daily during your pregnancy but Avo knows a third or forth opinion never hurt anyone. If you are willing to hold off having children for another five years that should give me plenty of time to wrap up my sea voyages and claim a few foretold treasures I haven't had the discipline of seizing yet. That alone would provide more then enough gold for your physicians and probably our new home as well. Obviously we can't continue to live here with little ones running around. I'll let you design the nursery and children's rooms all on your own so they meet your requirements."

Sparrow felt her knees give out from under her and luckily there was a chair nearby for her to fall into or else she would have face planted on the floor. She could not process what Reaver had just said. It couldn't be true. Not only did he just agree to have children with her but from what she took from his statement he was ready to sell his mansion and stop his pirating…essentially for her. No way. This couldn't be real. Not even the strongest magic in the world could make Reaver leave his home. The one he vowed vengeance on for anyone who stepped into it while he was away.

"This is your home Reaver, you don't have to give it up…you love it here."

"Yes well, you will find there are things in this world that hold a much higher value to me." Reaver said and the sincerity in his eyes and promise in his voice was almost to much for Sparrow. How…how could she deny _that_? Now there was something tugging at her heart strings. A forlorn hope or more fantasy that all of this was real. That she could be happy. That she could have a nice, wonderful life with a man and yes even a part of her wanted that man to be Reaver. Now…she was stumped. He surprised her at every corner and he genuinely seemed to care. Like he wanted it as much as he thought she did.

"Yes but…you're a pirate you know…what else could you do besides that? You love the sea. You belong at sea…" Sparrow said. All of this just kind of spewed out of her mouth. Her brain was far to busy trying to process all of this to think coherently let alone say anything clever. Reaver crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow at her. Almost in a scolding way.

"Do you really think I would leave you alone here, while your carrying _my _child. Despicable. There are plenty of other practical means of pursuing income right here in Albion then me being stationed in some foreign land. Besides I have to be here to tend to your every want and need while making sure you are as comfortable as humanly possible. Tis true I adore the sea, but that doesn't mean I have to part from her forever. Once you are well we can voyage out together with the little ones."

Sparrow just sat there. Blank and floored. Much like Reaver was only a few moments ago. How was it the roles switched so quickly. When Reaver stated his next sentence she thought she was going to faint.

"Of course if you really desire children then we would have to get married first before any were conceived." He said as simply as if he were stating the time of day. Sparrow's mouth went dry and her palms were sweaty. What on earth was going on?

"Married…you…you would want to get married. Us?"

"Well call me old fashioned dearest, but I was called a "bastard" my entire youth and I would hate for our children to be chastised in such a way. Besides that is the best way I know how to declare to the world you are mine. I can't think of a more celebrated ceremony in all of Albion."

"You…you are fine with all of this. Getting married…having children…after knowing me such short time?"

Reaver bent down to her level as she sat in the chair so that he was eye level with her. His hand rested on top of hers.

"Darling all I want in my future is you. All I need is you. I am willing to spend all of this life and the next with you. It does not frighten me to take those steps with you if that is what you desire. Who am I to deny a part of you continuing in this world? Yes being a father is horrifying to me but they would be the luckiest kids in the world just to be able to call you their mother." The complete joy in his voice was the most painful. Like he was actually getting excited about the life they had the potential to have together. He clearly shook off the children plan and he just successfully shot down plan number two to scare him off by bringing up marriage on his own. Was this kind of magic even possible? Or was this really a secret and relinquished desire he had always had and the magic just brought it out? She didn't know. She would probably never know. Now it was confirmed more then ever…she was going to break his heart.

Reaver gently lifted her to her feet which she didn't hinder. She was still to stunned and lost in thought to move. He pulled her close to him and lifted her chin up to look into his eyes. She really hated when he did this. She had already drowned one to many times in his sea eyes. The smile on his face was the most genuine she had seen yet.

"Can I take it, from all this children and marriage talk you have agreed to be mine?" Reaver asked and he was more then thrilled if that was so. How couldn't it be? She was the one who broached the subject and one didn't do that with a potential lover or just a mere acquaintance. You only did that with someone you wanted to build a future with. What a glorious future it would be. Now all he need do is work out the kinks and it would be perfect. She stammered for an answer and was torn on what to say. Reaver couldn't wait. He was convinced that was the entire meaning of this conversation. Gods how she looked so damn beautiful in front of him and he was still worked up from earlier. He leaned in closer and said softly

"You know we don't have to wait to be physical just for the sake of children. Practice makes perfect after all. I don't mind to pick up where we left off." he stated. Not arrogantly. More playfully as he flashed his straight white teeth at her and moved to kiss her.

"I…" Was all Sparrow could get out and just as Reaver was about to connect his lips with hers the door to the study burst open. Revealing a smiling Hannah. A net full of dead fish slung across her back.

"Sorry I'm late all, the boys wanted to do a bit of fishing again this morning. Figured your cooks could chop these into something nice, yeah?" Hannah said in her loud and booming voice. The maids had pointed her in this direction and she assumed they were in here just looking over maps or something. When she saw the two near kissing each other and the enraged glare Reaver sent her she felt a little awkward.

"Um…am I interrupting?"

Without saying another word Sparrow used the distraction to dart out of the room as quickly as she could. Hannah following close behind with her fish net still slung over her shoulder. Yet again he had been interrupted. Not only that but the way Sparrow had ran out there, he wasn't entirely sure what he had done wrong.

A/N: Hey everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It took a little longer to write then I had anticipated so sorry for the wait. Also since Reaver's real name was never mentioned in any of the fable games I wanted to leave it as a somewhat mystery to the reader. If anyone is interested I will put my interpretation of it in one of my later chapter. Hope the scene wasn't to corny or fluffy for any of you but I hope you still enjoyed. Like always please leave me a review and let me know what you think. Thanks for reading! 


	8. Chapter 8

Day Three Part Two

Sparrow rushed into her bedroom and without thinking slammed the door behind her before Hannah could catch up. _That _was something she had never expected. She could look past the fact he even agreed to have children with her and the fact he was the one to bring up the prospect of marriage but what really shook her to the very core was the fact that he actually sounded excited about it. The light shining in his usual stone eyes simply stabbed her heart with guilt. She flopped down on the bed and buried her face into her pillow. Like when she was a child and wanted to hide away from the world. She knew as soon as Hannah entered the room she would look ridiculous but Avo knew how she wished she could just count to ten and wake up from this dreaded nightmare.

Hannah entered with caution and shut the door so quietly only a low "click" sound was heard. She wanted to sigh when she saw Sparrow in that state. After she locked the door to ensure privacy she walked over to Sparrow and sat next to her on the bed. She didn't say a word. She knew Sparrow well enough to know when she was this upset it was best to just give her peace and silence until she was ready to talk. She had no idea what had just occurred but the lingering fact that this whole mess was her doing gnawed at her constantly. How many times? How many times had she considered selling that god awful potion? She was always low on gold (due to drinking and gambling debts) and she knew it would fetch her a good price. Still she could never part with it. Like a feeling she should hang onto it. Ugh. Think of how much trouble could have been spared if she had sold it or at least knew that the potion could actually do what it claimed it could.

No. She wasn't as strong as Sparrow. She knew deep down that if she had known that she would have used the potion, probably years ago. She was the one who always secretly longed for a mate and being her size she didn't exactly turn a lot of heads. Of course her high consumption of alcohol wouldn't have helped her judgment either. Now the potion of legend fell into the hands of the only person in Albion that wanted to get as far away from love as she possibly could. Guess if she didn't feel so guilty about the situation she would appreciate the irony.

Sparrow finally stirred and she rolled over on her side. Though she was facing Hannah she knew her best friend wouldn't make eye contact with her for some time. That was a big trait for Sparrow. Like she thought if she looked at someone directly they could read her mind or something. Which Hannah sympathized. Those big hazel eyes of hers were a dead giveaway. She had come to know her so well to the point she could just look into Sparrow's eyes and know what mood she was in. She let out a low sigh and explained

"Well...I tried your plan Hannah...about keeping Reaver away for a little while."

"I take it, it wasn't well received?"

"Quite the opposite. That's the problem. He actually came around to the idea of having kids rather quickly and from the tone in his voice, it was almost as though he looked forward to it. I didn't even bring up getting married, he broached that subject on his own." Sparrow said somberly. She deeply wanted the old feeling of hatred for the man but with each passing day it was becoming difficult. Hate was easy. She knew hate. She had harbored hate for more then one person most of her existence but the swirling feeling in the pit of her stomach and lack of thinking properly was foreign to her. She started to wonder if the potion had any effects on the user after all. There was no way she could develop any substantial feeling for someone that quickly, especially when she knew it was all false. She liked to think she had more sense then that. If Hannah hadn't seen the serious look on Sparrow's face she would have laughed or simply assumed she had misheard her.

"We are talking about the same Reaver right?" Hannah couldn't help but ask. She doubted that even magic could make the notorious king of thieves and womanizer want to take wedding vows. Gods, Sparrow must have been in a lot more trouble then either of them had first imagined.

"Exactly. This potion...it's almost like it has made him a different person. I wish you could see the way he treats me when were alone. The things he says...I know it's the spell influencing him but it feels real coming from him. I know your thoughts on him and I understand but Hannah there are no words to express how much I do not want to hurt him. If there is even an ounce of truth behind anything he says I don't want to break his heart. Yes, he may deserve it, but not by me." Sparrow said and wanted to say more but her thoughts were so jumbled again it would probably just come out as gibberish. Hannah watched her closely then the memory of the predicament she had walked in on only a few minutes earlier entered her head. Sparrow wasn't the type to let someone kiss her if it wasn't wanted. Having seen her in taverns promptly punch any man that got to close to her was proof of that. Though she looked a little nervous she didn't exactly look unhappy. Oh poor Sparrow, she was probably feeling both guilty and embarrassed because of that fact as well. She had it in her head she had to be one hundred percent committed to someone or married to do something like that with someone or else she was a whore. Then everything began to click for Hannah.

"You care for him. Don't you?" she said as softly as her loud booming voice would allow. Sparrow's eyes moved to staring at the window though she couldn't see anything outside from her view point. So the very question they both were thinking was finally spoken aloud and now Sparrow had to come to terms with it. Hannah had told her several times in the past that her "big heart" and her "hero complex" would get her in trouble but despite her efforts it wasn't going away anytime soon. She considered going back to her first idea to just bail and damn the consequences but anytime she imagined that heartbroken look on his face she just couldn't do it. With an exasperated sigh Sparrow whispered

"I do. Maybe not in the way he does me but I do, and I think if things progressed to much further I could easily fall for him. Well...this him. How Reaver will react when the potion is finally cured is a completely different story. Also...I apologize for what you saw when you walked into the study. Rest assured that is the farthest we have gotten. I have no intention of sleeping with him despite his honeyed words or how much I find myself caring for him." Sparrow said firmly and as soon as she had finished her sentence she heard Hannah's loud laugh. Sparrow's eyes finally found Hannah's. She defiantly did not find anything funny about the situation and though Hannah always had a strange sense of humor she almost considered scolding her. When she calmed down Hannah said

"Mate I don't care! I don't care if you have feeling for the pirate. I don't care if you want a long term relationship with him or if you simply want to ride him into the sunset if you catch my meaning." Hannah was still partially laughing. Sparrow raised her eyebrows at Hannah's vulgar expression. Prime example of the aforementioned sense of humor. Hannah smiled. "It's your life Sparrow. True me and the thief aren't going to be sharing a pint of mead at the pub anytime soon but all I could ever hope for you is to be happy and be with someone who is good to you. As for your hurting him concern...I know I'm going to kick myself for defending him later but, he's a grown man you know? He knew the risks in putting his affections and feelings out there. You have warned him dozens of times about the spell so the blame doesn't fall on you. Honestly Sparrow I am sure he has been through worse. He isn't like the common men walking about drooling and losing there minds over you. He's strong. We don't know what's going to happen when the spell is broken so don't make yourself sick over it until that time comes. It's still early."

Sparrow knew everything Hannah was saying was the truth but it still provided her little comfort. The fact that she was falling for him and fast was difficult in it's self but nothing could come of this! This wasn't how couples were supposed to fall for each other. Even if something did come of all this, it's not like they could just start over. Knowing Reaver before the potion his pride and fear would prevent him from actually trying a sincere relationship with her so best to squash those feelings now before they got out of hand. If Reaver couldn't be driven away then she would just have to distance herself from him. Still, could she just up and walk away? Like everyone else in his life? She didn't want to be just another statistic to him. It would just keep the vain and murderous Reaver drawling breath. If he could just let himself get close to someone then she really thought he wouldn't be that way. One fact remained. She still wanted him in her life. Even after everything was said and done.

"It's almost a pity really..." Hannah said after Sparrow had been silent for a good while. Sparrow shook herself out of her thoughts and refocused on Hannah. The first thing she noticed was her mournful voice and somber state.

"What is?"

"Again I hate to admit this but...in a lot of ways I think you and Reaver would actually be pretty good for each other. You bring out the good in him and he could take care of you in several different ways. You could benefit from being a little selfish, and I know he is trying to shake that idea into you. Maybe not to the degree that he is but the point stands. So it's a pity any romance between you two had to begin this way. Sparrow you spend your entire life revolving around what you can do for others and protecting others...I can't tell you how many times I have feared you meeting your end in some unknown cave out in the middle of no where, because there was no one there to protect you. I know you don't need a man to be happy or to fight for you but it's better then being alone in your big house, waiting for some guard to knock on your door with some kind of mission or bounty. Taking on the world burdens yet not even letting yourself enjoy a kiss from a handsome guy? Mate, your more then just a hero. Your a woman too you know?"

"It's not a burden. I enjoy helping people." Maybe it was her stubbornness or maybe it was just because she just didn't really know anything else. She found a small smile forming on her face at the thought of knitting or getting all dolled up for some kind of ball. She would make a horrible wife. She met none of the imagined requirements. She couldn't cook, just a small wave of dust made her sneeze and the known fact that she hated dresses.

"You know my meaning Sparrow...Lucien is dead. You can throw down your sword from time to time. What called you to being a hero early in life was to defeat a mad man. You did that. Albion will always be in your debt for it. You can rest now Sparrow. Take time for yourself. Even with the insanity going on right now I know your mind has drifted to if someone else needs you or not at least once. Even now, you are more concerned about how all of this will effect Reaver over yourself. If you do develop serious feelings for him and things turn sour I don't want _you _heartbroken. That is my biggest concern." Hannah said and Sparrow nodded. Not one for words at the moment. Guess that was a very real risk right now though she never imagined it being one. Still there had to be some miracle way that this could end with both parties happy. Then again she didn't really know what would make her happy. What _did _she want? Maybe she should just take some time to figure out what that was before she could truly do anything about any of this.

"Thank you Hannah. Once again you help me keep things in perspective instead of being an over emotional wreck. You are appreciated more then you will ever know." Sparrow smiled and looked at Hannah yet again. _And you will be missed more then you will ever know _She thought bitterly. Not only was each passing day a marking of when the antidote would be finished but it also counted the days she had left with Hannah. She would be alone, who was she kidding? Reaver wouldn't want a thing to do with her after this she just knew it.

"No need to thank me Sparrow that's what friends are for. I am always going to be here to support you." Hannah smiled. She waited for a few minutes but she could tell by Sparrow's demeanor that it was time for her to take her leave. Sparrow was a reclusive creature by nature and Hannah had learned by now if she didn't have her beloved space and quiet she wouldn't be able to bring herself out of this anytime soon. She never took offense to it. It was just her way. By tomorrow (gods willing) she would be back to her old self.

"Well I should probably head back, the boys were wanting to get a poker game going soon so I can stop by and see how much the blighters have lost already. It's my fault for showing up a couple hours late anyway, I knew I should have rushed off sooner. Just do me a favor and don't beat yourself up okay?" Hannah said and Sparrow nodded.

"Sorry I'm such a bloody wreck Hannah. We'll spend all day together tomorrow to make up for it." Sparrow announced. She knew she needed it. A full day out of Reaver's house and with Hannah. Letting her problems remain forgotten for the rest of the day. Though damnit Hannah was right, about a lot of what she said. The two heroes said their goodbyes and Sparrow smiled when she realized something else had been forgotten.

"Don't forget your fish." Sparrow said with her grin remaining on her face. Hannah stopped and turned to the net full of freshly caught fish, that she had dropped in the corner. She giggled and walked over to grab it real quick. Good thing Sparrow had remembered. Surely the smell of decaying fish would not have improved Sparrow's mood. "I'm still going to drop these off with Reaver's chefs. Bet they could make use of all these little guys better then I could." Hannah said and waved goodbye. Saying she'd be back first thing in the morning. When the door was shut and silence swept over the mansion once again Sparrow slowly started to gather her thoughts together. After almost a half hour went by of her just laying there brooding she got up from her bed. She reached into her secret hiding place where she hid her journal and she pulled the spare chair in her room up to her dresser to give her room to write.

Like before, as soon as she got all her whirlwind of emotions down on paper she felt much better. She realized she would feel one hundred percent better if she knew for a fact Reaver wouldn't hate her guts once the spell was broken. She didn't like the idea of running off after two weeks and doing everything she could not to accidentally bump into him in the future. She still didn't know what she wanted but that wasn't a big surprise. Few times had life handed her any real options and when they were presented to her she would rather run away then face them. She didn't know if she wanted to try for a real relationship with Reaver or just keep him close as a friend but she knew she didn't want to say goodbye anytime soon. Maybe she did bring out the good in him. Everyone could benefit from that. Especially Reaver himself. She had to find a way to ensure they were going to remain together in one way or another. After she jotted down a few more notes she thought of ways to do just that.

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Reaver waited about an hour in his study hoping Sparrow would return and when she hadn't he sighed and got up from his desk chair and headed out the door. He held his hand up to all his approaching staff and shot them evil glares in warning. He couldn't be bothered with the trivial issues of everyday life right now. On his way to his bedroom he stopped in front of Sparrow's room. He clenched his fists and stared daggers at the door as though it had wronged him personally. The Oakfield wench was probably in there conspiring against him. Telling Sparrow he was no good for her and to get as far away from him as possible. Like she knew. She didn't know him the way Sparrow did. Nor did he have any interest in correcting her. He had nothing to prove to anyone except Sparrow. He just had to hope she would look past whatever slander was being said about him. He forced himself to keep walking so he wouldn't be tempted to eavesdrop on their conversation. He would give her, her privacy for now but he was determined to figure out what exactly he had done wrong. Despite his heroic effort, he still managed to find ways to upset her.

Once inside he closed his door as quietly as he could despite his growing fury, and kicked his boots off one at a time. Letting them land wherever they fell, not caring to keep neat and tidy at the moment. When he reached his bed he laid down and crossed his arms behind his head to get comfortable. Now it was Reaver's turn to lay and contemplate all the events that had transpired in such a brief period of time. He found himself staring up at the ceiling as though it held the answers to all the questions that were spiraling in his head. Perhaps Sparrow had simply been overwhelmed by everything, which was understandable. Skorm knew he was winded by it. Lover's were usually together for a much more extended amount of time before such progressions were discussed. Now that he had some quiet time he actually wondered if agreeing to such things was a good idea or not. He took his fine leather gloves off and laid them next to him on his nightstand. After a moment or two he held his hands out in front of him and stared intently. Were these hands fit to so much as hold an infant? Let alone his own children? No. Not anymore. The blood that stained these hands would never be washed clean. He could spend another three hundred years trying to right all the crimes he had committed and it still wouldn't be enough, so why bother? History would remember him. Not as the notorious pirate lord or whatever title he acquired in the future, but as the traitor of Oakvale. The soul reason the shadow court had the grip it had over Albion. Somewhere locked in the deepest crevices of his heart he knew he wasn't even fit to hold Sparrow. Though the selfish man in him always won out and were it not already made clear he wasn't going to let Sparrow go without a fight. Had he ever wanted anything the way he wanted her?

The thought of coming home to a happy family to greet him cooled the anger and confusion that he was experiencing. A small smile came across his face. The concept was normal to most men growing up but the option had long ago escaped him and seemed almost...unbelievable. He remembered denying his first love of any hopes of having children. Something he was both thankful and somewhat remorseful for. Seemed that was the only chance he had had for children, but with Sparrow it could very well be attainable. He had never been both happy and fearful at the same time. Then again that was his little Sparrow. She managed to bring out feelings in him that he had either never felt or almost forgotten. She really was to good for this world. For him, and Reaver was not known for losing or sharing any treasures that came into his possession. She was no exception. Still...he really must have been rusty at the love game if he still managed to upset Sparrow at every turn. He was willing to give the woman the world and everything he had never given to any woman before her and still it wasn't enough. He was consumed with confusion to the point of it was irritating but ironically enough he still couldn't recall a time he had been any happier. Sparrow had more or less decided to be his and his only. That was enough. That was more then enough for now. He had plenty of time to figure out his precious little puzzle that was Sparrow and make all the pieces align together. He rather enjoyed puzzles, even though anytime he thought he was close to getting this one's full picture a few more pieces were thrown in. He could enjoy the challenge. What a beautiful image it will be once completed.

He was about to drift into an appreciated slumber when a tiny knock occurred on his door. He gritted his teeth and his irritated growl was audible to whoever the intruder was. Clearly the only way to get his point across to his staff when he didn't want to be disturbed was to shout or unload a couple of rounds from his dragonstomper. Yet people wondered why he was so harsh to them?

"Enter." he stated and the annoyance in his voice hadn't disappeared yet though he immediately regretted it the second he saw Sparrow walk inside. Her greeting smile on those perfect pink lips made his heart beat a little faster and all negative feelings or thoughts he had experienced were forgotten instantaneously. Odd. She seemed to be perfectly fine now. Oh dearest, if only you had a manual I could consult during your little mood swings.

"Why hello mon amour. I hadn't expected to see you again until dinner tonight." Reaver said and gave her a warm smile to match hers.

"Disappointed?" Sparrow teased. He adored how playful she could be. If only she had known the more she was a tease and impudent the more it egged Reaver on.

"Not at all. Though considering the look on your face as you rushed out of my study it appeared to be out of more then mere excitement to see your friend. Is it wrong for me to assume you were bothered by something?" Reaver said tilting his head to one side. He was delighted to see Sparrow sit on the bed then lay down next to him. She turned and propped her head on her hand so that she could look at him properly. She thought hard about how to answer him.

"About that...I'm sorry for just running off like that. Basically I hadn't expected you to be compliant with everything we had talked about. If anything I kind of thought it would scare you off. I guess I was just stunned for a little while. You didn't upset me, I promise." Sparrow said and smiled weakly at him. Reaver stroked the side of her face with the back of his hand gently. Chuckling quietly. Somehow she was able to read his mind and emotions yet she was still nothing more then a mystery to him. Well, she was happy and in a much better mood now and most importantly she was in his bed. Now that was very welcome.

"I don't tend to scare easily Sparrow. I wouldn't lie to you under any circumstances. I wouldn't have agreed to that life with you if I didn't have every intention of seeing it through." Reaver stated and damn those eyes of his. She saw the excitement and promise light in them again and she did her best to keep her composure and not break down into her little self pity ball again. She wasn't going to get anywhere hiding from him. She needed to face the problem head on.

"Still it does seem a little out there for you, don't you think? I mean did you ever want children?"

"Before you? Honestly...not until I decided children were no longer an option. Then again I guess that is just human nature, no? You always desire something you can't have." Reaver smiled bitterly.

"No longer an option? Why do you say that? You should be able to have children anytime you'd like."

"Physically true. Though once you are gifted with immortality you start to see the world very differently my dear. I have seen good men, strong men, completely shatter at the loss of their children. Such things are unnatural and very hard to come to terms with. Seeing my current state of course such tragedy would also befall me. That along with other less then desirable aspects I have ensured that I never have offspring of my own." Reaver said and his amount of confidence in his words made her a little curious. For all he knew there were women who were afraid to come forth with the knowledge they were bearing his child but to boldly claim he literally had none was kind of suspicious.

"To be blunt Reaver, are you certain you have no children already? Even ones you don't know about? I just find it hard to believe that you have lived so long and with the amount of sex you have that it's never occurred."

"I'm positive, dearest. I took precautions to prevent it only a few years after I received immortality." Reaver said again with assurance. Now Sparrow couldn't simply accept that.

"How?"

"Well it's a bit of a tale dearest. Once Oakvale was no more I found myself roaming around town to town for a little while, not knowing what to do with myself. Eventually I stumbled upon a small village in place called Darkwood at the time. All kinds of sordid deeds were preformed there and met quite a few eccentric characters to say the least. One being this witch doctor named Brad...Bram? I think it was Bram, but I digress. He had hundreds of concoctions stowed away in his house. Most of the people in the village thought he was mad but that is often masked with brilliance I have noticed. Amongst his creations he claimed to have successfully made a potion that essentially eliminates a man's sperm. Having a little faith in the old man I purchased his miracle potion and after a few much needed visits to the Darkwood Bordello it turned out the old bastard actually knew what he was talking about. So I bought his entire stock and make alchemists replicate the potion once I am in short supply. That combined with modern contraceptives has proved to be an exceptional form of birth control. I have had a handful of accusations over the years, but all the women making that claim were either after my gold or to be blunt were so promiscuous they simply didn't know who fathered there little one so, they placed the blame on me seeing how I was the only one that wasn't a drunken fool. Needless to say I kept a very close eye on those claims none the less and well...let's just say when the children were finally born it was obvious they weren't mine." Reaver explained. Amusing himself with the memory of one case in particular where the child was far to dark skinned considering both he and the mother being the biological parents. Sad fact was she had managed to convince a nobleman it was his child and he took the whore and the bastard child in without another thought. The ignorance of the human race was the only thing that hadn't changed throughout time.

Sparrow stared at Reaver dumbfounded. Finding his tale hard to believe for several reasons, but then again a love potion was obviously an unheard of tale until now, so she really should be more open minded. Which brought Sparrow to her next point.

"You take potions that prevent you from producing children yet the concept of a love potion is unfathomable to you?"

"Well of course dearest. That is just a matter of physical alteration, love on the other hand can't be produced from a bottle." Reaver chuckled then smiled at her. Sparrow smiled halfheartedly back. If only that were true.

"Well it sounds to me like you made a great deal of effort to avoid having children. Why change your mind so quickly? I mean even if _I _want them it doesn't mean you have to you know? If you are happier without them." Sparrow said. She noticed how quickly Reaver could change his exterior in less then a second. His face turned back to his stone one as he turned from her to look back up at the ceiling above him. She wished he wouldn't do that. It was hard to tell if she angered or upset him when his face could reflect that of a wall with ease.

"I was a weaker man when I first discovered that potion. I was desperate. I didn't want to have any children of my own, knowing my mother could never meet them. Though I was the only offspring she bared, she adored children. When she wasn't working, she was volunteering at the orphanage. When I was in any stable relationship besides the casual fling here and there, I would catch her knitting tiny outfits in her rocking chair when I'd visit. She was fond of growing old...we were very unalike when it came to this. She wore her strands of gray hair with pride much as a great warrior shows off their battle scars. I know in her heart she wanted nothing more then to be a grandmother. So that's what drove me to such drastic measures. After the years took there toll I simply didn't want them and with my lifestyles they certainly wouldn't have fit in. No worries though dear. Once I stop consuming the potion I should be more then fit. Rest assured such sentimental nonsense doesn't hold me back anymore. I already expressed my other fears and thoughts on the matter but I am sure I will come around in time."

Yet again he had caused Sparrow to become speechless and see him in a completely different light. Why was he so keen on keeping this kind of stuff secret from everyone? She found out after his story that she was only aware her heart was beating when it ached. It seemed like everything in Reaver's life was this bittersweet taste no matter how he tried to find his joy. Now she had to go and make it worse. Giving him hope in something she didn't even want. Well, she didn't think. Even when she tried to make him turn away from her or what he thought she wanted he just made it harder for _her_ to let go. Reaver, Reaver. How can you make someone hate you and others adore you in a matter of moments? It's like you don't even try. When Sparrow was quiet for a little while Reaver continued. If for no other reason then to break the silence.

"Sons if the fates are kind. Were we to have a daughter as beautiful as you the poor thing wouldn't be permitted to leave the house. Can't risk her mingling with the common rabble of boys her age, who can be particularly clever with fair maidens despite." Sparrow chuckled at this.

"You mean boys who take advantage of women, much like you have hundreds of times?"

"Precisely."

The couple shared a laugh and that happy glow returned to his eyes. Seeing this made Sparrow brood again. Why was this so hard? Why couldn't she detach herself from him? With every other man she had been around it had been easy when they appeared to have an actual interest in her. She couldn't even be sure if this was the Reaver she would really be with once things were over. Though now...she was kind of hoping it would be so. Reaver noticed her change in mood for the third time this evening and he racked his brain in trying to guess why.

"Of course if you have reconsidered that is perfectly acceptable. We have plenty of time to decide what the future has in store for us. Even if you decide not to have children I would still be immeasurably happy just having you at my side. Don't feel as though you have to do anything you don't desire to do on my account. Nothing could make me turn from you." Reaver said hoping to go ahead and defuse the situation. At that, a thought entered Sparrow's mind and having nothing else to go on, she ran with it. In desperation she moved in an impressive speed and quickly hopped on top of Reaver. She straddled his hips and gripped his shoulders tightly in desperation. Reaver was stunned to say the least, both in how fast she had moved and at the sheer fact that she was on top of him in his bed. He had imagined this exact moment dozens of times since Sparrow had come to stay with him, though none of them involved her in near tears and shaking him. That and having clothes on of course.

"Promise me!" she said and he tried his best to focus on her but her new position and the heat coming from her was still a little overwhelming for him. He shook himself out of his trance and looked up at Sparrow.

"Promise you what?" He would more then likely do whatever it was but still only a fool agreed to something before knowing all the terms.

"Promise me that you will not turn from me under _any _circumstances. That even when you are angry at me you will remember the times we shared together and that I care about you. Promise me."

Reaver's smile shined on his perfect face and he sat up a little so that he was closer to her but not invading the little personal space she had. Finally he thought he pinpointed the cause of his little song birds perilous thoughts.

"Is that what has been troubling you mon amour? I thought my actions would be enough for you but if it eases your precious mind then I promise you Sparrow exactly that. Nothing, in this life or the next could make me turn from you."

"You mean it?"

"Dearest I never break a promise. That's why I seldom make them. It's about the only honorable thing left in me." Reaver smirked and Sparrow loosened her grip on his shoulders and let herself take an inward sigh of relief. It was pathetic to put so much stock into mere words but she felt like she could trust them and it gave her much, much needed peace of mind for now.

"Have I not been true to my promise to make you happy everyday?" Reaver asked and Sparrow couldn't help but smile and then blush when the fact that she was still on top of Reaver sunk in. Well she really didn't think this all the way through...and she was beginning to recognize the look in Reaver's eyes when he was consumed with lust. Considering her current...state that couldn't be good. Still she kept her composure and nodded.

"You have." she agreed and he smiled widely at her. Good to know his tireless effort actually bore fruit. Sparrow subtly tried to move off of him but he held her in place and pouted.

"Mmm, don't go. I prefer you here. Simply laying beside me is far less fun then what we could get into this way." Reaver's wolfish grin enticed her like it always did but she backed away carefully once he leaned up to kiss her. Pouting even more Reaver took the hint and let her go.

"Oh dearest, do you enjoy teasing me?"

"I do. I think you look absolutely adorable seeing you all hot and bothered _dearest._" Sparrow said feeling playful again.

"How cruel you are. I think some punishment is in order." Reaver smirked. She drove him crazy and he was finding it harder and harder to remain a gentlemen over just taking her then and there. He was sure she wanted it too but something was holding her back. Probably those ridiculous morals she lived by. Shame. He sat up and kissed her. Pulling her close and not having any intention of letting her go this time.

"Maybe I would be a little less cruel if I didn't have to climb up a hill at sunrise this morning." Sparrow grinned and Reaver huffed. Truly he was exhausted too, but he could find the strength within him for this.

"Oh don't act as though you didn't enjoy yourself. I am trying to relive my favorite part of the morning were you to be a little more compliant." Reaver teased back. Sparrow held her breath and kept it together.

"Come on. Let's get some rest before dinner and then we can relive whatever you want. Is that fair?" Sparrow rolled over on her opposite side and covered herself up with his blanket. Reaver raised his eyebrow. Very excited about the fact she was going to stay in his bed with him for the first time and the promise of very intriguing events to happen when they awoke.

"Well, what I really desire to do I have yet to live. Any chances we can venture in that direction?" he smirked. Though he couldn't see it Sparrow rolled her eyes.

"Goodnight Reaver." She said and closed her eyes. Reaver chuckled and still took what he could get. She was getting closer and closer to him and he was extremely thankful for it. Hopefully from this point on he could have her next to him every time he awoke. He nestled under the covers next to her and immediately wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.

"Goodnight love." he said before getting comfortable. A few hours of sleep could do them both some good. Sparrow smiled and could get used to the feeling of strong arms wrapped around her. Though that was interfering with her "strictly friendly" policy she had made she couldn't pull herself away. Somehow it just felt right. All well. She was to tired to think to much on it.

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Sparrow woke up before Reaver. She streched and could tell by the lighting in the room that the sun had went down recently. Strange, usually Reaver's prompt chefs had dinner ready about this time. Then again she didn't know how his staff acted when he was in a particular mood. When she had asked Carrie where she could find him she had warned her something had irked him. So they could just leave him alone in those cases. She must have been the cause come to think of it. Guess from an outsider looking in she seemed like a bi polar wench. At least now she felt better about everything knowing he would still at least be approachable after the spell was broken. She turned her head slightly to look at him. The small smile on his face and his hair slightly askew was just to cute. She didn't want to wake him so she as carefully as possible untangled herself from him then got out of bed. She stretched again and let out a silent yawn. Feeling well rested she tip toed out of the room to see when dinner would be ready. No reason to wake him before that.

Once she reached downstairs she heard a muffled sound coming from outside. It sounded oddly familiar to her yet she couldn't place it. She approached one of the windows to see if she could spot the source. When she did she was mortified! The sound was the whine of a dog. In the courtyard someone had tied a pure white pup to the gate outside the house. Since it's fur was white she could tell from even her distance the poor little thing was bloody. It tug desperately from it's bindings and if he kept it up he was liable to choke himself to death. Bloodstone was full of horrible people but who could do something like this to a defenseless animal?! Without another thought she doubled back upstairs to throw on her boots and grab her sword. She slung the front door open and looked around for the guards to ask them if they had seen what had happened. For the first time she couldn't find a single guard stationed outside the mansion. If this was their idea of sport she wouldn't wait for Reaver to smack some sense into them! Then again maybe she should tell Reaver, he might be liable to kill them and admittedly she would be reluctant to stop him.

She ran over to the little dog and untied the rope from his neck. Whoever had done this had tied him so tight it was already near choking. The pup whimpered and laid down in front of her. Sparrow examined it's little paws and they were bleeding where he had tried to claw away and one of it's nails on the right paw had been ripped off. On his side was a long slash. To narrow to be done by a sword, had to be by a knife or dagger. She would have investigated it further but when she touched the area around the wound the pup yelped.

"You poor little thing what happened to you huh?" Sparrow said softly to him. She couldn't imagine how someone could do this. One time a villager had kicked her old dog Bear and she kicked the jerk back in a very sensitive area for men. It had been a while since she had healed a puppy however but she had to try! The little guy would surely die if she didn't. She knelt down beside the dog to try and carefully pick him up and he automatically winced. "Shh, it's okay boy I'm not going to hurt you I promise. I just have to get you inside so I can get you better." She continued. The second she touched the pup she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder blade. She got to her feet and reached towards the pain. She felt something sticking out of her and guessing what it was she snapped it in half. When she looked down at her hand her suspicions were correct. An arrow? How strange. Hardly anyone in Albion used bows or crossbows this day and age. More importantly where did it come from? Where they had shot her it couldn't have been meant to kill and surely they would have shot more by now.

She took a few steps in the direction of the woods where the coward must be hiding then...everything started to swirl all around her. She could barely walk straight suddenly. Poison. Not being able to hold herself up any longer she dropped to her knees. Through blurry vision she saw Reaver's missing guards bodies piled to the left of the house out of sight from any of the windows. That wasn't good. What was going on! She was having a hard time thinking straight. What kind of poison could do this, if any? She heard quick footsteps coming towards her and she reached behind her to grab her sword. As soon as it was drawn her drug induced fingers dropped her only line of defense. She reached for it then she felt herself being gagged from behind. Her assailant tied the cloth tight around her mouth so that she couldn't muster out a scream. Then her hands were tied behind her back, not that they were proving any use to her. She tried to fight as she was drug into the wilderness but she couldn't get her brain to send her body a single command. When they had finally stopped moving and she forced her eyes open she saw a young man crouched down to her level on the ground. He was smiling pleasantly at her as if they were meeting at a tavern for a drink and not that he had just abducted her. He had short messy black hair and from what she could tell he had a scar on his cheek stretching down to his chin. What was worse was she saw the boots of two or three other men standing near him.

"At last. At long last." the man before her said and he reached out to possessively stroke her cheek. It was much different then when Reaver did it. When he touched her it was almost in a maniacal way. The madness in the man's gray eyes truly startled her. She tried to reach for her gun or sword but she was without both and not only that but with her hands bound she couldn't so much as form a fist.

"I've been tracking you since I saw you in Bowerstone, you gorgeous thing. Don't you worry my love that man will never have you again nor will he keep you all to himself. We knew we couldn't take you from him on our own so we banded together. Four young healthy men will make you much happier then just one greedy pirate anyway. We just had to find a way to get you out of that house and from the stories I have heard about you, you couldn't resist helping a small wounded animal." he explained with pride and Sparrow's heart pumped out of control in her chest. Azmarie's warning about men growing violent and possessive due to the potion rang in her head. What could she do? What were these men...mercenaries? They would have to be in order to have the skill to kill all of Reaver's guards without being noticed and to have the knowledge of any kind of poison. She didn't even know what they used to make her not be able to move yet not paralyzed.

"Come on. We got to get her to the hideout before the pirate comes looking for her, let's go!" he said and before Sparrow could register it the largest man of the group picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. Even though she was in a panic she couldn't fight the upcoming darkness that took over and the last thing she saw was a glimpse of the mansion getting farther and farther away. Inside Reaver was still sleeping happily. Looking forward to waking up next to his little Sparrow.

A/N: So this chapter would have been up sooner but unfortunately my computer crashed, thus also erasing everything I had written so I had to start over. I really liked my first draft more (weird right?) but I do really hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks to everyone following and taking the time to review it really makes me happy. Also the next chapter should be up really soon. Now I know I have said that before but my computer is up and running now so it should be just fine. How did you like the cliff hanger? Thanks again and they next chapter will be up soon. Well depending on how many reviews I get. Mwahaha.


	9. Chapter 9

Day ?

Sparrow slowly opened her eyes. She still felt the effects of the poison or whatever drug they used to knock her out pumping through her veins. Once she looked around she had no earthly idea where she was or how long she had been out of it. She seemed to remember waking up a time or two before to be given water but then passing back out. Now that she was semi alert she realized she was now tied to a chair, both her arms and legs. She tired to summon up her will but it had been a long time since she had relied on it and with her head still distorted all she could conjure was her hands getting fairly hot from her fire spell. She would have to wait until the drug was out of her system before she could make her escape. Four men versus her unarmed...well she had come out of worse. Much worse. Shouldn't be to difficult.

She got a look at her surroundings and from what she gathered she was in either a cave or a dungeon. Now what in the world had she gotten herself into? The sound of echoing footsteps made her look up and she saw the man that had spoken to her at the mansion approaching. Looking as happy as he could be. Sparrow gritted her teeth. Even if he was under a spell she couldn't fathom why he thought kidnapping his supposed "love" and wrapping her to a chair would be a good move. Still as angry as she was she had to remember the power of this spell. Maybe just maybe this man wouldn't be this way were it not for the potion. The man sauntered forward and yet again smiled at her.

"Hello lovely Sparrow. Are you nice and awake now? I could sit and watch you sleep all day but you are much more entertaining when your awake." he grinned.

"Let me go. You are making a big mistake. It's hard to explain but what you are feeling isn't real and no good can come of this. Let me go and I promise we will just pretend this never happened." Sparrow said. She heard that her voice was hoarse and her mouth was incredibly dry. Her tummy would let out random growls but she refused to eat or drink anything she was given. It was probably laced with the drug.

"Oh sweetie. We can't let you go. If we do that then some other man could have you. It's bad enough I have to share you with three other guys but anyone else is just plain not allowed. Don't worry your restraints are temporary until you come around. And you will. You are mine Sparrow. My name is Ethan by the way." he smirked. Sparrow was more then appalled. Reaver had been clingy and demanding but never to this degree and he could always be reasoned with. With this guy she knew that wasn't an option.

"I am nobodies. Nor am I yours to share with anyone." Sparrow yelled back. Hoping the other men wherever they were could hear her. The man who introduced himself as Ethan chuckled for a second and then Sparrow felt the back of his hand strike her as hard as he could. Sparrow looked up angrily. What she wouldn't give to be free and to be able to rip this guy apart. Sad fact was he knew it too or else she wouldn't be bound as tightly as she was.

"Now, now. We can't have that kind of attitude now can we sweetie? You just need to relax. I know you will come to love us as deeply as we love you but I won't tolerate any kind of back talk. My last three wives had to learn that the hard way too but we'll get there." He winked. Take that back. This guy was the scum of the earth with or without the spell. She tugged effortlessly at her binds and still nothing, damnit! He walked out of the room for a few seconds and then returned with a glass full of water that looked a little foggy and a couple of slices of bread.

"All we have right now. Theo is running to the market as we speak. So open up love. Need to keep you going now don't we?" Ethan smiled. Sparrow refused but continued to stare daggers at him. He sighed then roughly grabbed her chin in a bruising grip then forced her mouth open. Pouring the water into her mouth. When he let her go she immediately spit the water into Ethan's face. The smirk on her face daring him to lay another hand on her. He couldn't hurt her. She had been hit, stabbed, shot, and slashed at by much bigger and stronger men but the fact he was doing it at all was what was insulting. He chuckled again and took the end of his black jacket and dried his face with it.

"My oh my your feisty. Wonderful. Been a long time since I have had one like you. The sassy ones are always amazing in bed. Speaking of which I can't wait to put something else in your mouth to test that theory." he winked. Sparrow started to feel panic again. She hadn't considered...that but with her hands and legs tied she would have a hell of a time stopping them.

"I swear to you, if any of you touch me it will be the last thing you do. Now. Let. Me. Go." Sparrow said as firmly as she could but she was still drowsy and weak because of the drug.

"Oh no. That happens later once your broken. What pleasure could you bring squirming about or not even awake to appreciate it? But have it your way sweetie. Having you starved and dehydrated works just as well to keep you cooperative." Ethan said and took the remainder of the water that was in his glass and threw it in her face. Sparrow growled in anger but could do little more. "Eye for an eye right? Anyway you just stay down here by yourself and when you are willing to be play nice we will all have a much nicer experience." Ethan said and finally he left.

Sparrow couldn't stand this. She felt so...weak. Letting a man push her around like that. She hadn't felt like this since she was in the Spire. Having to watch the horrid things that happened there and every time she tried to do something about it she would receive a powerful shock throughout her whole body. The time before that was when she watched Lucien shoot Rose. Come on Sparrow, think. There has to a way out of this! She screamed in her head. She looked around. Yep, defiantly a cave. She heard the dripping of the water from the caves roof and there was moss growing on the caves wall. Okay, but how big was this cave? Even if she got loose could she sneak past everyone? All she could do was wait and hope her head could get clear enough to focus her will. Then figure the rest out as she went.

She sat there for a few hours and two other men walked down there. Both of them were wider then Ethan and looked even meaner. Though Ethan was wearing a leather jacket and pants these two were wearing straight up normal bandit gear. One was bald with only a stubble of hair growing on top of his head the other had long blonde hair tied back in a low ponytail and he looked to be in his late forties. Great, what now?

"Hello lady Sparrow are you alright? Are you comfortable?" the bald man said with a smile. He was a little jittery and seemed to twitch every couple of seconds. The other man just stared at her like she was some kind of medical marvel or something.

"I am tied to a chair. How comfortable do you think I am?" Sparrow said bitterly then decided to just ignore them until they got the hint and left. The bald man hung his head in shame and started twiddling his thumbs.

"I'm sorry pretty lady. We promise we will let you go once we know you won't run away. Just trust us, we will treat you real good I promise."

"So far, I highly doubt that. I don't know what you think will come of this. I will never love any of you." Sparrow said. Again not being able to control her anger made her snap when she probably should keep quiet.

"I don't see why not. You think you could get more out of that heartless pirate? Bah. The greedy fucker will have you sold to the slavers after he has his way with you a handful of times. At least this way you will never be alone and always be taken care of. Most women would be grateful to have four good looking men in love with her." the blonde man spoke up and his voice was gruff and raspy.

"Don't talk about him that way!" Sparrow snapped. Feeling a new wave of fire and rage sweep through her. It was a common conception about Reaver yet somehow coming from his lips made her all the more enraged by it. "You don't know a damn thing about him! He is a better man then you will ever be! Reaver never tied me down or drugged me you piece of trash!"

"Oh really? Well I know one thing for sure. There is no way he is going to find you where we are. So if you have it in your head he's going to come here and have some kind of heroic rescue then forget about it. Even the king of thieves resources are limited and this little hideout we got isn't on any map in existence. So you better get used to the idea of being ours pretty soon. Once you do we can move out of this dump and head out to some other island outside of Albion." the blonde continued with a sneer. Still the bald headed one looked nervous and uneasy. He tensed up and turned to the man next to him.

"Hey, I really don't think you should talk to Miss Sparrow that way! She deserves better then that!" he bellowed at him. Sparrow raised her eyebrow in curiosity and noticed how quickly the blonde man backed down. Seemed this man was the only one that wasn't effected drastically by the spell. Like he still held onto his humanity over blatant desire. She wondered if he was a good man. If he had an honest job, a family somewhere that missed him...yet the spell drove him to join up with these thugs just over the chance of having her. She respected Garth to no end but she couldn't understand why he was so obsessed with magic. In her experience...all it does is hurt people. Still...maybe _he_ could be reasoned with.

"I will talk to her whatever way I want while she is content to be hostile. We are all madly in love with her and she won't give us the time of day! Just like all other women. Especially blondes." Sparrow rolled her eyes. Big words from a fellow blonde.

"You heard me! Now go on, see if Theo has come back with the goods yet. Go!" he barked. The blonde man grunted but did as he told and soon only she and the bald man was in the little cave area.

"I'm sorry about that. Forgive Ethan and Josh will you? We have all just been anxious to meet you is all." he squinted and then looked angry again. "Looks like Ethan has already gotten rough with you. I asked him not to do that." Sparrow assumed that where the bastard had slapped her, he had left a bruise. She hated this about herself. Hardened warrior that she may be she still bruised like a peach. Half the time she would look like she just came out of a battle when she only tripped over her own feet. She blamed her pale complexion.

"What's your name?" she asked as softly as she could to try and keep him pleasant with her to say the least.

"Sam, miss. I am very pleased to meet you. Ethan said you weren't eatin' or drinkin' nuthin. I wish you would. You will get really frail if you don't. Liable to get sick too." he warned and Sparrow ignored him.

"Sam...you _have _to let me go. You know deep down that this isn't right. Let me go and no one has to get hurt, me included." Sparrow pleaded. She watched in Sam's dark brown eyes that he considered it for a moment and then shook his head and looked down at the ground almost ashamed.

"But then I won't have you anymore..."

"Sam, I can't promise you a relationship but-" Sparrow tried again to reason with him but the loud clanking sound of Ethan's footsteps were heard through out the small area. An obvious and furious look on his face.

"What are you doing! I told you only five minutes alone with the girl at a time! She is trying to manipulate you, you dumb ox!" Ethan said after delivering a tough blow to the back of Sam's head. He winced and stood back up. He was angry but even though Ethan was the smallest in stature it was apparent that the other men feared him.

"I was just talkin to her!" Sam whined and Ethan snapped his fingers then pointed towards the door. He looked back at Sparrow then reluctantly left the two alone. Sparrow was not afraid nor was she about to show an ounce of fear on her face. Ethan chuckled and wagged his finger back and forth in front of her in a mocking way.

"You are a tricky one my sweet. Clever already pinpointing the weakest of our little group. To bad they made me swear on my mothers grave that I wouldn't harm any of them, or else he would already be out of the picture. The old whore. Now to prevent you from using that talented tongue of yours in any undesirable ways..." Ethan smirked and grabbed the same cloth he had used to gag and her slowly approached. Though Sparrow tried to move away he grabbed her roughly by her hair and pulled her head back. Forcing a disgusting kiss upon her lips before tying the cloth tightly around her mouth. Sparrow gagged and were anything in her stomach she would have hurled. His breath smelled horribly of cheap brandy and stale cigars. You sick bastard.

"Mmm...tastes like sunshine. See you again soon sweetie don't you worry." he said as he turned to leave. Once she was alone, she was outraged again. Only now panic started to set in. Even when the drug wore off completely she would have no energy to perform any spells if she didn't eat or drink anything. She hadn't thought of that earlier...but surely any food they gave her would be drugged too. Damn! She hadn't been in a situation like this in a long time if at all. When minute after minute went by in her solitude she recalled what the blonde man she assumed name was Josh had said to her. About Reaver not being able to come and save her. Funny. Not once had her mind wandered to being rescued. She was always the one doing the rescuing and even when she desperately needed someone to rescue her no one ever came. She hadn't even considered it as an option. Then she thought more about him. Gods he must be distraught. Not only him but Hannah as well. She didn't put to much stock in the thought of being saved. It was honestly unheard of. She had to find out a way out of this like she always had. Still the odds weren't good.

More hours passed and the sad and very real revelation came to her in her moments alone. Were Hannah not to have come to Albion and the potion wasn't manipulating Reaver...no one would be missing her...sure the villagers would mourn her if the worst happened. Though no one would truly miss her. Or even know she was gone. That knowledge made her feel sick in the very pit of her stomach. Now a lot of what Hannah had said to her made sense. She both loved and despised being alone. It was safer that way. No one to put in danger and no one to leave her...again. Now though...she really wanted to feel like she was loved. The bitter fact that Reaver only felt that way because of the potion sunk in even more but damnit if she didn't miss him. She didn't want the last time she saw him to truly be the last time. She wanted those strong arms wrapped around her, and even missed hearing his cheesy one liners. Maybe she did have to hope either he or Hannah would come to help her. She immediately distinguished that hope. She was the hero and she didn't much care for the role of damsel in distress. She didn't know what she had to do or what to hope for but all she knew was she had to do it quick before she was to exhausted to keep fighting them.

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The Bloodstone manor hadn't been in this big of an uproar since one a few of Reaver's rival pirates had fought their way inside to challenge him. Only this time the lord of the manor was much more concerned. Each and every member of his staff was frantically searching for Sparrow inside the mansion and on the grounds while Reaver himself was marching his way down to the Leper's Arm. The people on the streets made a clear path for him and some went so far as to literally jump in the opposite direction. They had learned it was best to stay out of his way when he was he was clearly in a mood. When he reached the dump of a tavern he easily spotted the red haired brute amongst a group of hefty and unattractive men. Still his golden haired beauty was no where to be found. He stomped towards her and gripped her shoulder as he pulled her around to face him. The men at the table seeing who had approached got up from their seats and backed away. Whatever business Reaver had with their new friend was clearly not their concern. Hannah wasn't amused and the sudden jerk had made her accidentally spill her orange juice all over her.

"Reaver what the bloody hell?" Hannah yelled. The animalistic glare was back into his eyes and the stern look on his face made her a little frightened. Damnit she hated how quick he could get under her skin.

"Sparrow, where is she?" Reaver demanded and Hannah's new found concern squashed her fear in an instant and she stood to her feet.

"What do you mean, where is she? She's with you isn't she?"

"You haven't seen her?" Reaver was impatient. If this oaf had no valuable information then their was no use in wasting any more time in this stinking bar!

"No, not since I left your house hours ago. Why has something happened?" Hannah persisted. Reaver didn't answer her but instead turned on his heel and headed out of the door. She couldn't have strayed far then. Where the hell was his guards? He swore he would have each and every one of their heads if anything had happened to her. What if she had left him...what if she was hurt. He hadn't felt panic over the loss of someone in so long he was having a hard time getting a firm grip on himself. Hannah chased after him not accepting his answer or lack there of.

"Reaver!" she called and he still didn't stop. She had to be in the mansion then. That had to be it. Even though he had inspected each and every room personally. She couldn't have left him...could she? The last moments they had, had together had been pleasant and they had managed to clear the air between them. Something wasn't adding up and he would tear this village apart if he had to, to find out what that was. Hannah kept calling to him but he ignored her completely. Even her annoying buzz like voice couldn't penetrate his thoughts at the moment. They had almost made it to the courtyard before Hannah had grabbed him by the back of his shirt to stop him. Tired of being ignored. Instinctively Reaver had his dragonstomper free of it's holster and the barrel resting on Hannah's temple. She wasn't afraid nor did she so much as blink as the hero of skill and the hero of strength locked eyes with each other.

"Reaver, answer me. What is going on? Has something happened to Sparrow?" she said in a firm voice. Reaver did not care for being spoken to that way nor did he like the fact that the cow had her grip still strongly on his shoulder. With an heroic effort he stopped himself from pulling the trigger and slowly let his weapon drop to his side. Hannah let go of him when he did so. He straightened up but was reluctant to put his pistol away just yet.

"I do not know. When I awoke she was gone and none of my staff has seen her." he stated before moving past her and onto his property. Hoping one of the maids or someone had some kind of news. Hannah chased after him with even more questions of which he had successfully tuned out. Before he made it past the gate a shimmer had caught the corner of his eye. When he located the source he felt like he had been dunked into a sea of ice cold water. He rushed over to it and knelt to the ground. Laying there unmistakeably was Sparrow's sword. Along with a small splatter of blood on the grass and soil. He picked up the sword in disbelief and his eyes scanned the trees to see if he could find any signs of an intruder. When he stood he saw the guards he had employed dead only a few feet away, piled on top of each other.

"That's Sparrow's sword...you don't think...?'" Hannah asked once she saw what Reaver was holding in his hands. Now she was starting to panic at the degree that Reaver was. Had she been attacked? Better yet by who and why? Reaver walked a little closer towards the forest and shouted out Sparrow's name. Praying to anyone that would listen that he would hear her voice calling back to him. Not knowing what else to do Hannah followed his lead and called out Sparrow's name. The response they received wasn't Sparrow but a loud cackling laugh followed by a few disgusting sounding coughs. Reaver and Hannah's eyes darted to an obvious hooker that was dressed in a black scandalous dress and her hair was ruffled but kept up by a dirty looking black bow.

"I wish I knew what was so special about the little slag. Seems men are popping out of the wood work to catch her now." the whore said and Reaver shoved Sparrow's sword into Hannah's hands and quickly approached. Surprisingly enough the whore seemed to be one of the only people in Bloodstone that didn't cringe or back down from Reaver. Mistake that it may be.

"What do you mean? Has someone taken her?" Reaver said in a warning voice and still the whore didn't seem the least bit concerned.

"Bah. Does it really matter? More importantly now that the little hero is out of the way you can get back to normal. I haven't seen you in days and your guards are ever so rude anytime I come up to see you." She pouted and rubbed his chest teasingly. Hannah rolled her eyes but then was appalled by what she saw next. Reaver had pushed her against the gate and had his dragonstomper placed underneath her chin. Hannah gasped "Reaver!"

"Quiet you!" Reaver shouted back and turned his attention back to the now startled whore.  
"I haven't the time for your incessant banter Winifred, so you are going to tell every last detail of what you saw happen here lest you wish for your brains to be splattered all over my pavement. Now answer me!" The whore named Winifred took a minute to recover from Reaver's sudden actions then shakingly said

"I—I don't know exactly. All I remember was hearing the god awful sound of a beaten dog that was driving away my costumers. When I came to see what all the racket was about I saw the hero standing there with an arrow in her back. She stumbled around a bit until she collapsed on the ground. When that happened two men ran after her and carted her off into the woods. That's all I know!"

"What men?"

"How long ago did this happen?" Hannah added. Not knowing if there was any use in looking through the woods or not.

"Dunno. Outsiders would be my guess. Never seen 'em before. Looked like common bandits with all the get up they were wearing, and I would say two hours ago? Three tops. Now am I free to go? Keep me here much longer and I will start charging ya." Winfred sneered and Reaver was far to concerned with what had happened to Sparrow to give her any more focus. Two or three hours even on a poor boat was enough time to put a good bit of distance between them and he. He shouted for the remaining of his staff to come to his side and when the closest one approached he grabbed him by his shirt collar and demanded

"Go to the docks and have my men get my ship ready! Any men that aren't needed to man the ship is to go ahead of us and stop at every village between here and Westcliff. Ask if they have seen any shady characters or outsiders enter there village and what direction they were headed. If you get so much as a hint that any of those bloody villager's are keeping secrets from you, bind them, gag them and bring them to me. We will rendezvous at West Cliff to await my orders. Now go!" Reaver yelled and both the man he had grabbed and any others surrounding him to off in a run towards the docks. Hannah was about to go with them to see if they needed any help but Reaver had pulled out his dragonstomper and shot the whore they had interrogated right between the eyes. A tiny relief feeling tingled through his body because of this. Though he was far from being satisfied. Hannah couldn't hold her tongue.

"Come on Reaver what the hell was that about? Was that necessary?!"

"She cheeked me and insulted my lady, I don't see how it was unnecessary." Reaver growled "Now get out of my way." He marched towards the docks. Skorm help them if the ship wasn't already ready to board. Hannah ran ahead of him and refused to move until he was ready to be reasonable. Clearly under stress Reaver was even more violent and demanding then usual but her best friend's very life could be on the line. She wasn't about to sit back and do nothing!

"I'm going with you." she said firmly and Reaver scowled.

"I have no room for you on my ship." he said coldly and moved to walk past her but she jumped in front of him.

"Try and stop me. Look, you are obviously upset and not thinking clearly. What if that woman could have told us more about what happened to Sparrow, did you ever think of that? I'm not going to let you pillage, rampage, and shoot anyone who could help just because your pissed off. This isn't helping Sparrow and in case you don't remember she is important to me too! I'm not going to just sit here." Hannah objected and if at all possible Reaver's eyes were even more intimidating with the darkness of night surrounding him. She stood her ground none the less.

"I do not need your aid, monk. I will find Sparrow my way. Have it yours Sparrow could be dead by the time we found her."

"And yours, villagers will be to afraid to even talk to us. Look the only way Sparrow could have been put down by one arrow is if it was drugged or something. The only people who use that kind of stuff are assassins and I remember a bandit group who practiced with poisons. Maybe a few missing members are involved. We can find them and see if they are missing someone. " Hannah insisted trying to use some logic but she hadn't been in Albion for awhile so for all she knew they had already disbanded. Reaver rolled his eyes and raised his voice

"I am not an idiot monk, if your slow mind made that connection what makes you think mine could not? Now get out of my way, or better yet return to whatever mountain you climbed off of so I may be rid of you at long last." Reaver stated and his hand hovered above his pistol in warning. Hannah crossed her arms.

"I am going with you Reaver." Hannah repeated.

"Move or be moved." Reaver stated and the two stared daggers at each other. Hannah wasn't about to back down. She took a step closer to him.

"Do it." Hannah said with as much venom as he had. Reaver gritted his teeth. He didn't have time for this! Nor did he have time to babysit a pacifist monk but at least this way he could get moving. They had a lot of ground to cover if they had any hope of picking up the trail these men left behind.

"Very well. Know now pilgrim, the only reason you continue to draw breath is a courtesy to my beloved. If she meets her end because of this you will share in that fate." Reaver said and now that he thought about it he should go inside to grab a few supplies before leaving. Not knowing how long he would be gone and he had a special little something in store for whoever was responsible as well.

"My fifteen years of friendship with her trumps your little infatuation, thief. I am just as concerned as you are." Hannah countered. Reaver ignored her. He didn't know who would be so bold as to do something like this nor did he care. He just wanted them and anyone else involved to be dead. He hadn't felt panic mixed with rage before. It was a sensation he didn't care for. This was one of the very reasons he refused to care about another human being. They could be taken from him. Well not today. Not anytime soon. It would take a lot more then a few rouge bandits to keep him away from her. A lesson Albion would learn by bloodshed.

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How long had it been now? A day...days...maybe a few...she didn't know. She was getting delirious now. The constant dripping from the ceiling was driving her mad. As soon as sun set she was surrounded by complete darkness for hours and hours. She heard the sickening sound of rats scampering around the cave at all hours and when it was dark they would come and nibble at her boots. She refused to let herself sleep. She was to afraid of what the sick bastards would do to her if she did. A little earlier Sam had come in and gave her an apple that he swore was free of any kind of drug or poison. She believed him and almost sobbed as she was forced to eat the apple straight from his hand. Like an infant or an animal. Her pride was wounded because of this even though she knew Sam was only trying to help. It didn't excuse the fact that he was sitting back and letting all of this continue however. She had only managed to get a couple of bites from the apple before Ethan walked in and Sam had to pretend he was the one eating the apple and just talking to her. Of course he figured out the lie and gave her a few more hard slaps after that. She didn't care. The pain was nothing compared to her stomach eating away at her insides and her throat was so dry she wasn't sure she could speak even if she really tried.

This was literally one of her worst nightmares. She felt so weak and defenseless and she couldn't stand it. She had tugged so often at her bindings the rope burn on her wrists constantly stung her. Ethan was the only one that had tried to force anything physical on her and that was a bruising kiss which had occurred three times now. Each time more repulsing then before. She realized he had not only bruised her lip but split it as well. So to top everything off she had the faint taste of blood in her mouth. After all that time with no food, water or sleep she briefly started to consider going along with whatever they wanted just so she could be let free and get her strength back but her pride wouldn't allow it. She would rather die then submit to these fools and she refused to tell _anyone _that she loved them when it wasn't true. Not under any circumstances. She chuckled bitterly. Even at the Spire she was given fairly decent food (mostly to rub it in the prisoners faces) and was free to roam about as she pleased. Though that place was hell on earth in some areas it was preferred over this. Only she felt just as weak and helpless then. She would put up with whatever torture this world had to offer over feeling like this.

Another hour or so passed and she was visited by a man she didn't recognize, so she assumed it was this Theo everyone else had referred to. He was carrying a tray of food consisting of bread and cheese and like every time that happened her stomach growled painfully. He had a poorly taken care of Mohawk and his face was riddled with far more scars then Ethan had on his face. A large slash was across his left eye and she could tell he was blind in it because it was purely white. Much like Theresa's eyes were.

"Now princess, I think you have proven your point now it's high time you eat something. Your no use to anyone as a corpse. Even got some fresh water here for you. So open up, love. No need to be a hero anymore." Theo said and he approached her with a slice of bread in his hand and held it up to her mouth. With the little strength Sparrow had left in her she turned her head away. Theo sighed and threw the piece of bread back down on the platter and huffed.

"Fine. We will just have to do this the hard way then." he stated and out of the corner of her eye she saw the man pull out a small knife and dip it in what she assumed was the drug. No! Not again. She was just now able to get her head fairly straight despite being light headed. At least now she could think properly. She struggled in vain as Theo cut a small cut in her arm. Not enough to draw a lot of blood but enough to get the drug in her bloodstream. Within a matter of a few seconds she began to feel it's effects and the room spun and she was dangerously light headed to the point she almost fainted then and there.

"Can't have you summoning up any of that inhuman strength and escape now can we?" he stated and now that Sparrow was out of it he forced the bread back into her mouth and Sparrow chewed it the best she could but she could barely make herself do anything under the drugs influence. After she finished the piece of bread and took a couple of large gulps of water he seemed satisfied and got up to take his leave. Though the bread and the water did little to help with her thirst or hunger. Keeping her alive must have been the only priority.

"Well lover, I am going to head back to the nearest market. You have been much more hostile then we first thought so I got to stock up on our little aid to keep things running smoothly, so I will be back." Theo stated and just before he left he turned his head and said "Don't go anywhere." Then laughed cruelly.

Sparrow felt very sick because of the drug again and tried her best not to throw up the little bit of food she was given. The only bonus about this was with the drug in her system time passed much quicker and she would catch herself nodding off a few times for a few moments of precious sleep. She sat there for an uncountable amount of time and then she felt her hands drop down to her side. In disbelief she raised them up to her face. Still loopy she couldn't really register what was going on. A blur now moved in front of her and she realized someone was cutting her binds! Once the image stood perfectly still in front of her a small smile came across her face. Even through a blurred vision she could recognize that deep red and golden blur anywhere.

"Reaver..." she said through a hoarse and cracking voice. Reaver was absolutely horrified. He had prepared himself for the worst but seeing it for his very eyes only fueled the overwhelming rage and hatred that was threatening to take over him completely. Even seeing her alive did little to cool the fire pumping every so slowly in his veins. He brought her into his arms for a brief second before examining her. The only thing that had consumed his every thought since she was taken from him was holding her again. He couldn't go through it again. He couldn't lose another one...it would destroy him permanently this time.

He stepped back and did his best to keep himself under control in front of Sparrow. Her face was covered in bruises, along with one or two on her neck. Starting from her shoulder to her elbow was a narrow cut and from what he could tell it was fresh and still dribbling blood. Her makeup she was wearing had washed down to her cheek bones and her eyes had horrible red lines around them and obviously bags where he assumed she hadn't slept. As thankful as he was to see her he was afraid if he looked at her to long in this condition he would lose what little control he had left. Seeing red was nothing to what he was feeling. That burning feeling in the back of his head gripped at him and his vision was only accurate enough to focus on what was infront of him where the rest was blurred.

"They hurt you..." Reaver whispered and it sent chills down Sparrow's spine. It could have been the drug but she had never heard any other words spoken with such venom. A thought came across her head though it was hazy. No doubt Reaver was going to kill these men if he hadn't already. Despite what they did they couldn't be held accountable for their actions. Not with the spell having the grip it had over lesser men. She had to try and talk him out of it but she was finding it very hard to form the words that she needed.

"Listen to me my love, did they do anything else to you? Did they touch you? Force anything on you or force you to do anything to them?" Reaver asked as calmly as he could but Skorm didn't even know the fury that would bestow them were it so. Trying her best Sparrow shook her head. "You are certain?" Reaver persisted. She was certain. She had stayed awake since she had came to her senses in the cave and from what Ethan had stated none of them had touched her because it would be "less fun". Besides she was certain she would have known.

"Yes..." she had managed to get out. Reaver sighed in relief though that hardly deserved any forgiveness on his part. Sparrow was now aware Reaver wasn't alone because she could still see him perfectly yet she felt herself being picked up in an infant like way. Reaver nodded to his men and stated clearly "Get her out of here, quickly and safely, you hear me?" Just as she was about to be carried out of the tiny passageway in the back of the cave she called for him and despite his need to have his vengeance satisfied he stopped and walked back towards her.

"What is it dearest?"

"Reaver...not...their fault...don't..." Sparrow said trying her best to get her point across but her throat burned every time she made a sound. Reaver knew what she was trying to say but decided to act as though he didn't. He touched her face one more time and said softly to her "I will see you soon dearest. Rest for now and leave everything else to me." He turned to his men and repeated more harshly "Get her out of here."

Sparrow knew it had done no good but she let herself finally slip into unconsciousness. To weary to fight it anymore. Reaver continued his course. _You will have to forgive me my love, but these men do not deserve your grace _He stated in his head as he marched deeper and deeper into the caves depths. Something the good people of Albion needed to remember was though Reaver could be a kind and loving man with Sparrow the statement didn't hold true to anyone that crossed him. Hell anyone else at all really. He was also a vindictive, cruel and cleverly insane man, that had no qualms in killing in the most heinous fashion possible just to satisfy his vengeance or for his own amusement were he of a mood. Sparrow helped that side of him be controlled but it would never be truly gone. Reaver stealthily crept closer and closer to where he heard the fiends talking. He hung close to the wall and crouched down behind a small rock formation. He listened closely to try and decipher from their voices which one was the man he had his eyes set for the most punishment,

"Where is Theo...he should have been back hours ago." a gruff voice stated and Reaver heard the soft footsteps of him moving in his direction.

"Relax, he'll be back soon. Bastard probably got drunk at some tavern or something." a different voice said in a cocky and irritating tone. Reaver smirked when he made the connection of who they were referring to. These nobodies had managed to evade him for a lot longer then he had intended but they had made several sloppy mistakes. Biggest one was letting that ugly mugged oaf of theirs roam about a small village every other day without expecting him to draw attention. That and half of these sods were members of a bandit gang and their leaders were happy to tell him where they had last seen their wayward crew members. Reaver's not so willing informant sung like a canary and told him not only about the secret entry in the back of the cave but some very interesting information that Sparrow had been mainly harmed by one man along with his description. His death won't be swift. Neither was their missing member's either. When he found out that he was the one that kept Sparrow drugged and fired the arrow that started all of this he had found a very entertaining way to end his life. Shark's can get so agitated when their prey was hung just out of reach on his ship. Especially when fresh blood kept dropping teasingly into the sea. Ah, but what a sight when the creatures finally nabbed their prey.

At last one of the men walked off, leaving one of them alone. When Reaver cautiously looked past the rock formation he was very ecstatic. The man fitting the description he was given was sitting in a folding chair shuffling a deck of folding cards for entertainment. Same hair, same scar and same horrible fashion sense. Looks like this was going to be much easier then he had imagined. Shame. He rather enjoyed the thrill of the hunt again. It had been to long since Reaver had dirtied his own hands. Before Ethan could blink Reaver had jumped to his feet and slammed the younger man into the caves wall where a sharp rock had predominantly stuck out from the wall. It pierced through Ethan's back and stuck out just above his chest. He opened his mouth to let out a bellow of pain but Reaver's hand clamped firmly over his mouth to muffle most of the sound. He shushed him mockingly and wagged his finger back and forth in front of his face. Ethan's eyes widened when he realized who his attacker was. Making Reaver all the more gleeful.

"You don't want to ruin the surprise for everyone else do you?" he tsked and let a menacing chuckle come out from the very back of his throat. Reaver unsheathed his saber and quickly stabbed it into Ethan's other breast to ensure he stayed in place. After he had calmed down from his second scream of pain Reaver patted the side of his face and stated "Wait here for me will you?"

Ethan struggled through the pain to try and remove the sword at least but at the angle he couldn't so much as grip the hilt. Nor could he reach his own pistol that hung uselessly at his side. As the madman made his way towards his colleagues Ethan shouted "He's here! Guys take the girl and get out-"

But it was to late. Before he could get his last words out he heard two separate shots being fired and if any of the legends held true about the pirate then that was all that was needed. He was alone. As predicted Reaver sauntered back towards him with an extra bounce in his step. At first he ignored Ethan entirely and took out a small dagger along with a sharpening stone and begun to drag the blade against the stone menacingly. Whistling a tune quietly to himself. Bloody ponce. Just end it already!

"Get it over with Reaver! If you are going to kill me do it! But this is what you get for trying to keep her all to yourself!" Ethan shouted and Reaver continued to ignore him. After a few agonizing minutes Reaver finally spoke.

"Your plan was pretty clever you know. If I was any other man then you may very well have succeeded. Drakeroot combined with a touch of common tree sap can stun even the most ravenous of balverines if mixed correctly. Still keeping the afflicted alive and awake but unable to think coherently and barely move their limbs successfully. You must have worked for an alchemist in the past to learn that trick. To bad your execution was poor. Well to bad for you I mean. Stopping at two villages before you made it here and letting your blundering friend roam to far from camp was rather sloppy don't you think?" Reaver asked still sharpening his dagger. Keeping his smirk hidden from his victim. Ethan refused to speak but one thing was now clear. Reaver must have found Theo and that was the reason he was delayed. There really was no getting out of this.

"Allow me, to give you a little education before you die, yes? You see, so many people think Nightshade is the worst kind of poisoning one can endure but this is a common misconception. All it does is cause hallucinations and slowly makes your lungs bleed and rapid heartbeat. Essentially making the victim drown in their own blood but still treatable if caught early. Though this little beauty-" Reaver stuck the stone back into his pocket and instead pulled out a small black vial. He immediately began to coat the blade of the dagger with the poison.

"-can only be found in the deserts even farther North of Albion then Samarkand. What it does is really quite unpredictable. It can cause seizures so severe you snap your own spine, could burst one vein at a time until you finally drown in your own blood, or even make your heart explode. I've heard of several other lethal side effects but have only witnessed those three for myself. Of course the more that enters the bloodstream the more violent the death. I thought you would appreciate this since you found it fit to poison the love of my life." Reaver finished and the change in his tone from pleasant and carefree to vicious and enraged was frightening. Ethan looked at the dagger now twirling in Reaver's hand and began to hyperventilate. Not like this. Not that way. "A very fitting end don't you think?"

"I—I I'm sorry. This is a mistake. Just a mistake. You have the girl, now leave. I promise I won't bother either of you again." Ethan pleaded and Reaver smirked. What he wouldn't give for just one man to not become a sniveling coward in the face of death. Though in this case it wouldn't have helped him any. Reaver took a few steps towards him and Ethan struggled desperately to try and get free.

"What was the mistake? Was it abducting my love, poisoning her, raising your hand to her or was it forcing your filthy mouth onto hers? That's right, your missing partner was happy to sell you out for a few more seconds of precious life. So tell me, what was the mistake?" Reaver asked taking control of himself before he ended the monsters life prematurely.

"A—All of it! I'm sorry, just spare my life. There is no benefit from my death!"

"Oh but that is where you are wrong dear boy. You see your death will be a testament to all those who think they can cross Reaver, and more importantly what happens to those who dare to lay so much as a hand on what is his. Now anywhom, shall we continue? I am ever so curious to see what effect the poison has on you..."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sparrow came back to consciousness as soon as she was taken onto the ship. From what she could tell someone was tending to her wound and another was asking her to drink from what she assumed was a health potion. She thought of objecting simply because of all the trouble a single potion had given her but as soon as the precious liquid went down her throat she was thankful. Most of her pain and grogginess had disappeared and she could finally see clearly. Looking up she was even more thankful for this because standing before her was a worrisome Hannah.

"Sparrow! Are you alright? Blimey mate what did they do to you?" Hannah said almost shaking her. She saw tears in her eyes so she knew she had to look a lot worse then what she felt.

"Nothing I can't handle...where's Reaver?" Sparrow asked. Finding it a lot easier to speak at long last. Hannah looked to land then back at her.

"Still in the cave. I wish he would hurry up so we can get you to land and as far away from this cursed place as possible!" Now Sparrow felt even worse. She couldn't let this happen. Not over her. She struggled to get on her feet.

"He's killing them isn't he? I...I have to stop him." Sparrow stated but her legs were still a little wobbly and she almost face planted on the ships deck. Hannah promptly grabbed her and forced her to sit back down in the chair she had been placed it.

"Oh no you don't! Your not going anywhere! You are going to sit here and get treated do you hear me?!" Hannah said as if she was to her disobedient daughter.

"Hannah you know the potion does thing...does things to..." Was she already out of breath? Usually after a health potion she was back to one hundred percent strength. What ever they had used on her must have really packed a wallop. Hannah wasn't going to hear any of it. She had already had to almost get in a fist fight with Reaver in order to come along in trying to find Sparrow and what was important was she was alive and well. The rest was just minor details. She hadn't been that afraid before. To think Sparrow of all people could be kidnapped.

"Enough! Sparrow look at you! Look at what could have happened to you. Even if the spell made them fall in love with you that doesn't excuse this radical behavior! As far as I am concerned whatever Reaver does to those bastards is to good and I swear by Avo's name were it only a few years ago it would be me in that cave exacting the same vengeance in your name!"

"I do not want any blood to be spilled in my name." Sparrow argued but she was still to shaky to try and fight it. More then likely she was to late anyway. She tried to remember everything that happened to justify it but this didn't feel like justice. More a very elaborate misunderstanding.

"Sparrow focus on getting better. We can argue morals later." Hannah said in her "conversation over" voice and Sparrow complied. Now she realized the woman mending her arm was bandaging it up was Carrie. She smiled.

"Sorry Carrie...didn't realize..." Sparrow said trying not to nod off again. For once Carrie looked grim and not her walking on sunshine self.

"Not at all Lady Sparrow. Good news is this wound won't scar and should be completely healed soon, as for the one on your back it needs some extra attention but it shouldn't scar either." Carrie said and then got up to move to her back. When Sparrow looked at her in surprise Carrie added "My mother was a doctor and my father an alchemist. This is second nature to me." She smiled  
Sparrow suddenly felt uneasy being stuck in a chair yet again and she didn't care for it one bit.

"Can we please move this to a bed?" she asked and both Hannah and Carrie helped her up and took her into Reaver's quarters. As soon as her head hit the pillow she was out again. Not putting forth an ounce of effort into stopping it. She didn't know how long she had been asleep but even as her eyes opened she still felt she could sleep for another twelve hours before being satisfied. When she sat up she noticed she had been bathed and put into a fresh pair of clothes. Wow, slept like the dead apparently. Gods that felt so much better. She even felt almost normal now besides the growling hunger in her tummy. She moved to get up but when her feet hit the floor, she saw out of the corner of her eye that Reaver sitting on the edge of his chair, in the corner. As soon as they made eye contact Reaver sprang to his feet and was on the bed bringing her into a tight hug. This startled Sparrow but what was most concerning was the fact that he was shaking uncontrollably. He pulled away from her and pushed her bangs back with both of his hands on either side of her face and stared at her almost in disbelief before bringing her back into the hug.

"I thought I had lost you..." Reaver said softly. With Sparrow so close to his chest she could hear his heart thumping in an incredible speed. My god...did he really miss her that much? Worry that much about her? She actually took a lot of pleasure in this. She smiled.

"You can't get rid of me that easily." she said and Reaver chuckled happily. Oh gods just hearing her voice meant the world to him in that moment. An added plus being that she sounded like her usual self. He was so afraid that those bastards had successfully ruined everything he had worked so hard to build between the two of them.

"I am thankful for that. In all seriousness darling are you alright? Can I get you anything? Anything at all? Are you still hurting?" Sparrow took a few seconds to comprehend all the questions she had been asked in row.

"I am fine really. Starving and still exhausted but other then that..." Sparrow explained and Reaver nodded and got to his feet.

"I will have some food brought to you and you can sleep some more after you have eaten." he said and he got up and headed towards the door. As soon as he touched the door handle however,

"Reaver...please don't go. Stay with me..." Sparrow found herself saying. Feeling utterly embarrassed and childlike again. She had spent days mostly alone and now as rare as it was she really desired company. As much as she hated to admit it she even desired to have Reaver holding her again. She didn't know if she would want to be alone for some time. Reaver was a little surprised but was happy to comply. "Of course darling, give me but a moment." he told her then he opened the door and told the guard outside the room to bring the both of them some food immediately while he still remained in the room. After that he shut the door and rejoined Sparrow on the bed. Moving the pillows to the side so he could sit properly. Blushing Sparrow explained

"They left me alone a lot...I didn't care to much for it." Reaver sighed and held both of her hands. Sparrow also didn't care for the look of sorrow in Reaver's eyes. It was almost heart breaking.

"I am so...so sorry Sparrow. This all could have been prevented if I had employed more guards or at least had woken up with you. I will never forgive myself for letting them take you." Reaver said. He recalled having the entire mansion looking for her when he awoke and no one had seen her. The horrified feeling of finding her sword laying on the ground with her no where to be found...no...he couldn't relive that. It was to horrible. He truly thought the worst had happen. If Sparrow had died...every light in his world would have went out all at once. She was his light. He would be surrounded with nothing but darkness again. He didn't know if he could find his way out if it happened again.

"Nonsense Reaver. None of this is your fault. If anything the blame befalls me for being so naive to fall into an obvious trap." Sparrow said. She thought of adding _and you shouldn't have killed them _but what was done had been done. She wanted to enjoy the presence of Reaver and he was clearly still upset so igniting that fury again and starting a possible argument wouldn't help anything. The pure fact that _she _hero of Albion had been rescued by the just as famous pirate king was still unbelievable. He had both saved and protected her. Qualities she thought she would never find in a man yet here she was. All because of him.

"You are not naive mon amour. You are simply to good to see the wickedness in all men." Reaver corrected and Sparrow shrugged.

"Same thing." she smiled. Then she realized he had used that phrase a few times before and it was starting to make her wonder. "Those words...what do they mean?"

"What words?"

"Mon amour?" Sparrow tried to pronounce it the same way he had. Reaver smiled and seemed to light up after that.

"It means my love." he explained with an even wider smile on his face. Sparrow was even more confused.

"But you have called me "my love" before. Why chose to say it in a different tongue? It's not as though you had never said it."

"I was hoping you would ask me to translate it one day so I would have an excuse to say it again." Reaver smirked. Sparrow's heart sank and she ended up smiling like a big goon. He was so sweet sometimes. Even if it was a bit corny. Gee Reaver...you really could be the guy of a girls dreams couldn't you? Sparrow sighed though. The memories from the cave were still fresh in her mind.

"I...I haven't felt that weak since...I hate feeling weak. I hate being weak. No matter how hard I fought it didn't do any good...some bid hero huh? Being defeated by only four men..." the sound of somber regret in her voice chilled Reaver and he sat even closer to her. Pushing her chin up gently so that she would look him in the eyes. How he missed looking into those eyes. The treasures of the world couldn't compare.

"Sparrow if you chose to listen to anything I say then listen to me now. You, are not weak. In fact you are the strongest woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. You and I both know had it been a fair fight you would have prevailed with ease. Those men were cowards and they took advantage of you because they knew they couldn't have defeated you. Don't give those sods a second thought. All of your foes will fall just as easily as they would have by your sword and if some ever over power you I will be there to take up the slack. I swear to you from this day forward you will never fall again." Amazing how he knew just what to say to bring her out of whatever gloom was taking over her. She smiled at the very thought. They could have made a beautiful love story couldn't they have? The last two heroes in the world falling in love with one another and battling the darkest of foes. If only it was more then a fantasy.

"Are you my white knight Reaver?" Sparrow smiled and found herself leaning back onto Reaver's chest. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned back against the bed frame to give her more room. Reaver smirked and never thought he would be compared to in such a way. He had always been seen as the villain. Not the hero.

"I can be your knight my love if that is what you will of me, but I must warn you I look god awful in white."

"I think you would look rather handsome." Sparrow said dreamily. Had she been gone so long that she had forgotten how comfortable he was? Or was she only now appreciating it? She couldn't help but feel...content. Safe. She never...never thought she could feel those things because of one person. Because of a man. She knew it was wrong. She knew he didn't really love her or so much as care for her. Still she let all her worries and doubts travel to the back of her mind for now. Letting herself enjoy the feeling despite the circumstances.

"I will have to remember that." Reaver said and it was followed by a yawn. He had been a bloody wreck since Sparrow had went missing and he had lost almost as many hours of sleep as Sparrow had. Now that she was back into his arms where she belonged it had finally caught up with him. She had remained quiet for a little while and he assumed she was about to fall back asleep. He really would have preferred she ate something first but the precious little thing was probably exhausted. He moved gently to try and let her lay back down. She grabbed his hand and he paused.

"Don't let me go..." Sparrow said in her half asleep state. She didn't want this feeling to end and surely when she had come back to her senses she wouldn't allow herself to feel it again. Reaver moved back and held her a little tighter.

"Never." he said softly in her ear and he rested his head on top of hers. A couple of minutes later Carrie was the one to bring the requested food to her master's room. When she opened the door she stopped and couldn't help but appreciate the sight in front of her. Seeing the two fast asleep holding one another was almost picturesque. Seeing the relaxed and almost innocent look on her once cruel and heartless master's face was even more astonishing. She smiled and decided it could wait. The very image she was looking at was a young couple very much in love and seeing them together was warming. Like they were complete again. Even if both parties wasn't fully aware of it. She silently closed the door and went back to work. Leaving the two find their peace in each other. Who was she to disturb that?

A/N: Thanks again for everyone who is following and reviewing this story. You guys really make it worth it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Be sure to let me know what you think. I hope it wasn't to dark for anyone but honestly I kept it pretty mild. Next chapter should be up soon. Be sure to leave me some reviews for motivation :P Thanks again everyone!


	10. Chapter 10

Day Eight

Reaver had told her she was gone for a total of four days. When they finally arrived back at the manor the sun was just now peaking on the horizon on the eighth day. It was just as well. She knew she had to have been asleep for the total of twelve hours on the ship, if not more. The comfort of having Reaver by her side anytime she opened her eyes was warming and she wasn't sure if she could just go back to waking up alone. In fact...she didn't know how keen she was on being separated from Reaver at all. Okay, so she had a bit of a scare...that didn't mean she needed to cling onto him now. All that would do is leave the wrong impression. She felt herself even closer to him now. He was nothing like she had originally perceived. Then again...she had never seen Reaver "in love" before. What she wouldn't give to have had Reaver show her this side of him on his own. Not because of a spell. Now, she was beyond confused. She wished she could go back to being _just _confused. Well if there was a plus side to any of this at least her little aroused problem had successfully disappeared. Now that painful nagging in her heart was telling her she was actually falling for him. How, or why she was still uncertain. When they got back to the manor Hannah said her goodbyes and headed back to the tavern. Once she knew for sure that Sparrow was okay that is. She was barely able to move her feet in a steady pace considering how much sleep she had lost sleep in all the mess. She never could fall asleep on ships either.

When they entered the manor Sparrow parted ways with Reaver to go to her room. She wasn't tired nor was there anything of importance to do in there but she felt like she should try and keep her distance again. She laid in bed and tried to think of something she could do to keep her mind busy but nothing came to her. She decided to change into a pair of pants and her pink and black leather corset she had worn when she first entered the manor. She felt a little back to normal in doing this. She didn't have the energy nor the discipline to put on her makeup however. After maybe an hour went by of her fiddling around in her room there was a knock on the door. She hated how her heart quickened in anticipation. After all if he wanted to come to her it wasn't so bad right...?

Sure enough, when she gave the go ahead Reaver entered her bedroom with a grin on his face,

"Sorry to disrupt you love, but I have a gift for you and I just couldn't hesitate a moment longer." Reaver smirked and Sparrow couldn't resist rolling his eyes. Maybe if she wrote him a note that said "Don't buy me things!" He would be more inclined to remember.

"Reaver, just because I was kidnapped it doesn't mean I have changed my mind about the no gift policy." she grinned. Wait...when would he have even had the time to get her a present? Reaver chuckled and took a few steps into the room.

"Yes dear, I am aware of your conditions but I think you will change your mind rather quickly when you see it." Reaver winked and before she could object, she heard the sound of nails clicking on the hardwood floor. Her mind barely had time to register what it was she was hearing when a tiny wet tongue found her face. When she opened her eyes she saw the happy face of the puppy she had tried to rescue before that entire ordeal happened. He had hopped into the bed with her and was now yipping happily at her. Sparrow smiled and laughed in relief. She had feared that the worst had happened and she was to late to save the poor little thing. When she looked up she saw Reaver wearing another true smile and she greatly admired seeing this. They seemed to come more frequently then they used to.

"I made certain my remaining staff tended to the dog to bring it back to full health in our absence. Seeing how you cared enough to risk your life for him I assumed he was important to you." Reaver informed and made his way to sit next to her on the bed. The white puppy moved over to him when he sat down and nudged at his hand, in demand to get some attention. Reaver smirked and pet the small puppy which made him yip happily again. Seeing this made Sparrow unexceptionably happy. She was used to seeing the pirate pointing his pistol at everyone, including herself so seeing the once perceived evil man do something so simple as pet a puppy almost warmed her heart. He looked over to her and Sparrow knew she looked like a big grinning goof again but Reaver couldn't have been more ecstatic to see her so happy.

"So my love, what do you wish to name him?" he asked and Sparrow was a little surprised. The puppy was now laying down at the edge of the bed peacefully though it's tail kept wagging back and forth at a fast pace.

"I am to name him?" she questioned and Reaver chuckled.

"Of course, he's yours after all."

"Mine? Reaver I was pretty sure you hated dogs, yet you want to let a puppy live here with us?" Sparrow questioned. Recalling on their first encounter the guard at the door had informed Sparrow that under no circumstances were any animals allowed inside. Forcing her old dog Bear to have to wait outside for her.

"You like them, so that is what's important. I have never owned a pet in my life, so it may be nice change of pace. Besides, my maids are paid to keep the place tidy under all circumstances and quite frankly I think they are getting lazy." he jested with a smirk. Sparrow never thought she would own another dog but considering the little guys size he had to have barely been weened from his mother when those fiends took him. She couldn't return him to the wild, the wolves around here (or worse Balverines) would rip him apart! When she looked into those innocent ice blue eyes she was stuck anyway. Though she didn't know if any dog would replace Bear in her heart. She thought about it for a minute or two. She had never seen a pure white puppy in Albion before...

"Hm...I think I will name him Ghost. I know...real original huh?" Sparrow smiled when she saw Reaver smirk at the name she had mentioned.

"No less creative then mine. I would have picked Snow." Reaver stated. "I mean after you lost your dog to that insane man, you didn't even get the joy of having him revived after your wish so, I think it would do you some good to have a loyal companion on the few times I am away from you."

Sparrow smiled and reached forward and continued to pet the puppy now named Ghost. After a few moments of silence Reaver could not hold his tongue anymore. He knew how pure and good the woman next to him was, but he truly couldn't fathom why she had done what she did that day. He didn't understand then and he didn't understand now.

"Why did you do it Sparrow?" he said in a low whisper. Like he was still trying to keep it to himself rather then formally ask her. Sparrow cocked her head to the side and looked at him in bewilderment.

"Why did I...?"

"Why did you make the wish that you did at the spire? You had two other choices that would have actually benefited you, yet you chose the one where you gained nothing. Why did you do it?"

"I thought I had already made that clear Reaver..." Sparrow said quietly and started to feel awkward. Deep down, buried in her heart in a tight locked box, she had the occasional regret because of this. She didn't at the time. At the time she was one hundred percent sure she had made the right choice. Reaver turned a little on the bed so that he was facing her.

"Not entirely." Reaver answered. Starting to regret saying a word about it at all. He could see the storm raging behind those hazel eyes and the farthest thing that he wanted to do was upset her. But he had to know. Sparrow looked away and shrugged. Wishing she could provide a better answer then the one she had prepared.

"Because...it was the right thing to do." She answered. Trying to focus on Ghost or anything else in the room other then Reaver. He didn't know why but hearing that same generic answer sent him into a fury. He wanted to shake her, and almost beg her to for once do something for her. She had lived her entire life doing things she _had _to do and never spent a moment doing what she wanted. This above all else was why she confused him so much. He had met plenty of giving and caring people in his life but Sparrow made them all look like lowly criminals in comparison. How could one devote their life solely to the needs of others without tending to themselves at all? Reaver controlled his voice before he snapped at her.

"In a matter of speaking yes, but what is right? What is wrong? What is wrong for some is perfectly acceptable to others. Do you see where I am coming from? Sparrow no one would have seen you as less of a hero if you had chosen to bring the only people in this world that mattered to you. Did you not tell me that's what drove you all those years ago? Vengeance for what was done to your sister? How she was taken from you? Then you are presented with the opportunity to have her in your life again and you turn it down to rescue souls you have never met and probably never will?" Reaver paused only for a minute. Trying to judge if he had went to far or not. Looking at Sparrow's face, she didn't seem anymore upset then earlier, so he decided to keep going. If not only to get this off his chest.

"I know you wanted to be a role model for those less fortunate and I agree that is a commendable act but if you had chosen to bring your family back to life would that not also be an inspiration in it's self? To prove that if you go out and beat the odds you can still obtain your desire and your goals in life? Even if it seemed impossible? I just don't understand you, mon amour. I am trying my best to but I am failing miserably." Reaver said exasperated. Not sure if he could ever get his point across to the tender hearted hero. Sparrow sighed for a second and she had thought of everything Reaver had said a hundred times before and by all logic it made sense but the only thing she had in her defense was the feeling in her heart. Knowing others could have their family back. The needs of many outweighed the need of the few, or in this case the one. That's just the way she lived her life. It's the only thing that made sense to her. She couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of happiness come to her despite the somber conversation. Reaver truly must have listened to every word she said to him in order to remember all those details from just one previous conversation. It was a nice feeling. Knowing someone took so much stock into what she said.

"You are right Reaver...I can't tell you how many nights I stayed up praying that I could get Rose back. Or even praying that I had been the one that died...so she could still be here. I'd have done anything to get her back at the time, but do you really think I could be happy with my sister when I looked into the eyes of all those children who were missing their mothers and fathers? Seeing the memorials for the fallen and the many bouquets laying on top of them? Knowing at one time I had the power to bring them back and make it right?" Sparrow tried her best to explain but it still didn't seem to register to him. If anything it made him more contrary.

"That is not your burden to bare Sparrow. You were not the cause of those people's demise so why put it upon yourself to "make it right?" Faced with the same choices I can't think of another living soul that wouldn't have chosen to bring back their own loved ones. Even your best friend who grew up in a monastery confessed she would have."

Sparrow smiled for a second and raised her eyebrow to Reaver.

"I thought you would have chosen the wealth Reaver? Was that not your claim that same day?" she asked then watched Reaver closely. She watched a bitter half smile come across his face, then he subconsciously ran his hand through his hair.

"A claim made by someone who wasn't given the same choices. The only thing that would make me reluctant in making that choice is knowing my loved ones would not be happy to see me nor should they be. Still my decision wouldn't have been the same you made." Reaver explained and Sparrow could catch when he was being sad or remorseful even if he had grown to be able to hide it brilliantly. She should try and change the subject before they both ended up in a sour mood. When she racked her brain to try and figure out what to say next, Reaver's next words chilled her to the bone.

"What I am trying to ask my love is why are you so hell bent on throwing yourself onto the altar when the very people you do it for, give you nothing in return? I admire the goodness in you Sparrow, I truly do. And there is nothing wrong with being pure and devoted but do it to the people who are deserving of your love and affection. More importantly...why are you punishing yourself?"

Sparrow felt her stomach drop and she looked at Reaver directly to make sure he had said what she thought he had. From the stern look on his face she knew she had heard correctly. No one...no one had ever came to that conclusion about her. Theresa could see into other worlds and yet she had never been that observant with her. She was stunned. How could...

"What makes you think I am punishing myself?" Sparrow said a little to defensively for her own liking. Reaver sighed. He should have waited to broach this subject considering all she had just been through. Though it was this pesky need of hers that got her into all of it to begin with and would probably happen again. He had to correct the problem now or else he may not be able to save her next time.

"People become easy to read once you study them, and I have met every variety of people and personality's this twisted world has forged. You are difficult to read completely my love but it is the only logical conclusion I have been able to come up with to explain your irrational behavior. Every human being was born with the instinct to survive and to pursue happiness. You on the other hand dear Sparrow, fight that instinct and need with every fiber of your being. Knowing your good nature and moral standings I have deduced you have turned your sight of right and wrong upon yourself. Your choices in everyday life may mostly stem from your honest decency but you couldn't have been through what you have and seen what you have to not so much as purchase yourself a dress you desired without forcing yourself to feel guilty about it. So tell me my love...why?"

Sparrow's head was spinning and she felt almost like a child that had let a deep dark secret slip to a gossipy teen or something. Almost like she had been violated. That very fact had been in the back of her head for years but even she didn't acknowledge it or analyze it. She didn't know what to say nor how to even begin to explain herself.

"Because...I am not the perfect pure hero you or anyone else perceive me as. I have sinned and more importantly I have failed. I used to steal food as a kid almost everyday then lie and tell Rose I had worked to earn some gold. There just wasn't much work I could do being that small and Rose was always so stressed about money and how she was going to take care of me that's all I knew to do to take some pressure off of her. I couldn't save my sister. When she had done so much for me, I couldn't even save her from death. The entire time I was walking up those many stone steps into the castle I knew something was wrong and we needed to just run away but I didn't. Not only that but everyone important to me I couldn't help in their time of need. The night Hannah's father died, she had run off before I could catch up. I was wore out from fighting all those hollowmen in the cave and I was to slow. If I had made it past her I could have got there in time to stop that spire guard from killing him, but when I arrived it was to late. I have failed more often then I have done anyone good. In the spire with that damned collar on, I'd see the prisoners starving in their cells and no matter how hard I tried I would always pass out from the pain before I could sneak and feed each of them. So many died because I wasn't strong enough to help them. The only friend I made there Bob, had finally snapped under all the conditions we were under and when I tried to save him from the commandants wrath I couldn't and he died while I was screaming in pain on the ground. I am no hero. I am a glorified chump that got lucky a couple of times. Yet when it matters I fail." Sparrow said bitterly.

How many times had she thought of all those instances every single day? All she dreamed of as a kid in that tiny gypsy caravan was to stop the evil and the ugliness in this world so no one would have to go through what she did. So no body went to bed hungry, that no person was cut down in their prime and their families forced to move on without them. Yet even as a warrior she was still forced to watch it happen. Like she was a helpless child again. She felt a stubborn hot tear start to come out of her eye but Reaver caught it with his index finger before it could so much as fall down her her cheek. He grabbed her shoulders and sighed,

"Dearest you are a hero, but you are also human. You are allowed to make mistakes. You can't save them all Sparrow. Do you think any of the celebrated heroes of old didn't stumble at least once? Darling you judge yourself to harshly. The only thing I gathered from this story was that a young woman was put into horrible circumstances and dealt with them the best way she knew how. Stop and give yourself credit that you had the best intentions during all of it. This unneeded guilt you put yourself through is starting to become infuriating."

"I guess I just never thought I deserved anything...when I have let people down and there are so many others in need."

"Darling I will never tire of saying this, you are perfect. You deserve anything and everything your heart desires and I will try my damndest to make sure you have each and everyone of them. If anything the undeserving one is I, to have such an extraordinary woman in my life considering the true crimes I have committed." Reaver confessed out loud. Just to make sure Sparrow stayed focused on what an actual criminal was compared to the monster her own head made her out to be. Sparrow raised her eyebrow in confusion but felt touched at the same time. She was sure Reaver considered himself worthy of literally everything in Albion.

"Do you really think you are undeserving of me?" she questioned and Reaver smiled.

"Darling I question if anyone in this world is deserving of you." he answered sincerely. "All I can hope for is to make you happy and to be able to provide for and take care of you." Sparrow took his hand into hers and smiled at him. Immediately he felt his joy returning. By the shadows he couldn't have her away from him that long again. The simple feeling of her skin on his and he felt at peace.

"You know...I am perfectly capable of taking care of you too. You don't have to be the only one doing all the work you know?" Sparrow leaned forward and gave him a very brief kiss on the lips and decided to rest her head on his shoulder. She was starting to adore the sound of his heartbeat in her ear. Reaver laughed and wrapped his arms around her. She was back where she belonged and if all went as well as he had hoped then maybe he had gotten through to her too. Now if he could just move her out of this dreary room and into his, he would surely know bliss.

"Darling, I have taken care of myself and only myself for hundreds of years. Over indulgently so. I think it's time someone else took that spotlight, don't you? After all, I have to ensure my message to you has sunk in and that will take a tremendous amount of effort thanks to your unrelenting stubbornness. That's also why I took the liberty of hiding your sword from you, until I can be certain you won't be doing any adventuring or village saving during what I consider to be your vacation, effective immediately." Reaver smirked and nuzzled the top of her head. She was so tiny. It was hard to believe by sight alone that she was more deadly then any grizzled and hardened man in Albion. Sparrow laughed and almost wished she could stay in his arms for the rest of the day but he subtly yawned and she knew neither he or Hannah had received even half the sleep she had. She noticed Ghost was now fast asleep on the edge of the bed. His little paws would twitch every now and then. Looks like it was nap time.

"I think he fell asleep." She smiled and Reaver let out another yawn.

"I say, I think the pup has the right idea currently. If you do not mind dearest, I must retire for a few short hours. You are more then welcome to join me if you desire but given your recent captivity I understand if you would rather stretch your legs a bit. Be sure to tell the chef's what you want to have prepared for dinner. The least you could use is a decent meal." Reaver said giving her a quick squeeze before letting her go and giving her another quick kiss. "I will see you shortly my love." he stated and got up from the bed. As he headed towards the door Sparrow recalled a detail Reaver had said only a few moments ago.

"You didn't really hide my sword did you?" She questioned. Reaver smirked but remained silent even though he had clearly heard her. Sparrow waited for an answer but all she got was the sound of his footsteps getting farther and farther away. "...Reaver?"

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The day crept into the night and things were almost back to normal in the Bloodstone Manor. Sparrow was much more talkative and affectionate now but he could still sense she hadn't returned fully to herself just yet. This bothered him to no end. All he wanted was for her to be as carefree and happy as she had been those few days ago. Damn those men for doing this to her. If what he had observed about Sparrow, more then likely she would be locked away in the darker depths of her mind and probably blaming herself which she was so keen on doing. He exhaled a wave of cigar smoke and was thankful for the relaxing feeling it brought him. He leaned on the rail of his upstairs balcony and let the cool nights air comfort him. It was a gorgeous night that night. Not a single cloud hindered the glowing stars above. A few fireflies flew nearby but mostly evaded him due to the black smoke snaking out of his cigar. Bloodstone really was a dastardly place but at this time of night, when the pub had finally stopped serving it's brew and the drunken slobs had stumbled back to their respected homes, and the whores had found their targets of income, it was almost peaceful. The smell of the oceans salty waters could even be detected from his distance. The calm silence only interrupted by the occasional chirp of a cricket. Even with his new found peace he knew he could not sleep anytime soon. Not when he still felt like something was amiss with his songbird.

He was not accustomed to comforting anyone and proof of that was the fact that he had started a dreary topic the second she had come home. He had discussed the same issues a couple of times before but at least this time he felt that she had listened. He couldn't let another day go by with her treating herself horribly. Even if it was internally. The only thing he could do to ensure she stayed happy was to try and keep her mind off of it all. Her fears, her doubts, her self hatred and the past four dreadful days. He sighed and took another draw off of his cigar. He wished he could just purchase a manual he could consult in these instances. A "how to" guide on keeping the woman of your dreams, in your life. His eyes drifted upward and they automatically found an old familiar sight and then a clever idea came to his head and he ran with it. He hurried inside and gathered a few needed things then darted across the hall and into Sparrow's bedroom. Where he found her and her new companion sleeping peacefully on the bed. Excitedly he nudged Sparrow awake and she jerked up startled but once her fuzzy vision cleared she calmed down again.

What time was it? He was wearing the same outfit that he had at dinner so she knew he hadn't been to bed yet. She sat up and rubbed her eyes then took his hand without question. When he pulled her to her feet she yawned and asked.

"What's wrong Reaver are you alright?" she asked. Trying to be awake and alert again.

"I am very well dearest, I apologize for waking you but I absolutely had to show you this." Reaver smiled and Sparrow caught his enthusiasm and decided to see whatever it was that made the pirate giddy like a school boy. He laced his fingers with hers and together they walked hastily to the balcony. Once they were there Sparrow noticed a few little white candles lit and scattered around the balcony for extra light and a blanket along with two pillows laid next to each other. Sparrow raised her eyebrow at him but Reaver hurriedly said "Quickly darling or else you'll miss it!" She followed his lead and laid down on the balcony's floor and looked up into the night sky. He pointed in a general area without saying a word. Sparrow's weary eyes finally caught what he was referring to and once they did they widened in marvel. Shooting across the night sky was one star, leaving behind a trail of what looked like diamonds. Following close behind it was another smaller star, shining just as brightly as the first though it's tail was tiny. Her eyes and even head followed the beautiful light until they were out of sight. She was speechless. It was amazing how gorgeous nature was in it's simplicity. She had never seen a shooting star before even with all her nights camped out under the night sky.

"It's a rare phenomenon that only occurs once every fifty years." Reaver explained and Sparrow redirected her attention back to him. "I was a small boy the first time I saw them. According to old wives tales they are supposed to be the souls of two betrothed heroes of old. When the female heroes husband fell in battle Avo granted the broken hearted savior one wish for all of her service. Hers was that her and her husband could be reunited and continue to watch over the world they loved and had spent their lifetime protecting. So he turned the two into stars that would circle the globe until they were ready to spend the rest of their lives in paradise. Now I don't know if there is any truth behind it seeing how the rumors started long before I was born, but I thought you would enjoy the sight none the less. I had meant to mark this date in my calendar so I wouldn't miss it myself but I had completely forgotten. Lucky my stubborn sleeping pattern caused me to see catch them this time."

Sparrow smiled and adored the look of wonderment on Reaver's face. How excited he had gotten over something like stars. She never thought the composed man would ever let that rock exterior crack for even a second. She honestly couldn't have been happier seeing him in this way. When Sparrow didn't say anything he cleared his throat and said

"Apologies...I know it's all nonsense, it's just my fondest memories as a boy was laying in the grass and making all sorts of beings and creatures out of the stars with my mates. As ridiculous as it sounds."

"It's not ridiculous Reaver, in fact...I happen to find it extremely romantic." Sparrow confessed with a smile and he grinned back at her. "What a beautiful story."

"Once I discovered how often those stars flew across Albion and that they always did so on the same day, I always made it a point to watch them. I find that the stars above us are the only thing truly infinite in this world. No matter how many years pass or how far away you are from your loved ones, you know they are looking up at the same stars as you are. No matter how many things are inconsistent in life those stars always appeared on time when they were expected to. It comforts me to know not all things fade and whiter in the cold grip of time. They shined just as brightly today as they did when I was a boy." Reaver said. Sparrow took his hand into hers and held on tightly. _You ask me why I punish myself Reaver but I could ask you the same. Or more importantly why you hide that beautiful soul you have _Sparrow thought. Half hoping Reaver would somehow read her thoughts that she was to afraid to say aloud as he stared deeply into her eyes. It was like he was a fragile vase that had been broken and put back together so many times that were it to drop only once more it would be beyond prepared. Remnants of the original remained but it was so distorted the newer pieces were all that was seen. How she didn't want to be the one that shattered him completely. She almost wanted to weep then and there knowing the man that held her hand so tightly would disappear in less then a weeks time but she fought it. If this was the only time she would have with him...she would make the best of it.

"You amaze me." she whispered. Not meaning to say it out loud but it slipped none the less. Reaver smiled but cocked his head to the side.

"I am hoping that is in a positive way?" Reaver teased and Sparrow laughed. Amazing how he could ramble like a weak fool and it would please her all the more.

"Very much so." Sparrow answered.

Reaver looked up into the sky and scanned the area for another source. When he found it you can triumphantly said

"You can also see the warrior star formation well tonight." Reaver said and pointed. Sparrow looked up and sighed when she could not spot what he was referring to yet again. She had always been lousy at this. She must have not had the imagination to see what others did.

"I don't see it..." Sparrow said after a few moments of time had passed. Reaver smirked

"It's only because you are not looking at it properly." Reaver said then pulled her closer to him so that she was laying on him again. Gods how she never wanted to move away from him. He was so comfortable she had almost fell back asleep. Reaver tried to outline the image he was seeing the best way he could. "You see, that's the tip of his sword there...and there is the beginning of his shield." Reaver explained. When Sparrow really focused on it she could see the outline of a body, in fact holding a sword and shield. She was excited that she had finally seen a star formation. Hannah tried to show her one years ago but she had just nodded and said she saw it when she hadn't.

"Oh, I see it now, and how do you know it's a "he" anyway. That could very well be a female warrior you know." Sparrow smirked and Reaver shrugged.

"I suppose you are right."

"You know...I always heard if you make a wish on a shooting star it comes true. Did you wish for anything?" Sparrow asked and Reaver turned on his side and stroked the hair out of her face. Another sincere smile on his face.

"The wish I made on those very stars years ago has already come true. I found no need to burden them again." Sparrow could not resist the urge any longer and she kissed him with a passion she didn't even know she had in her. Reaver was a little stunned but soon enough he kissed her back with the same intensity. His hand slipping under her shirt as it rested in the small of her back. Her skin was smooth and warm under his fingertips. He tried to remain as casual as he could but it had been over a week since he had, had sex with anyone and that was simply unheard of for him. And shadows knew he wanted her desperately. She seemed reasonably happy now...maybe it wouldn't be the worst time to try and make a move? When he was about to do just that the insufferable sound of that puppy barking interrupted them. Ghost had woken up without his master's company and searched desperately for her. When he saw the pair laying on the ground he thought the two were playing a game and he ponced on Sparrow to get in on the fun. Reaver had to bite his tongue to stifle a groan of aggravation. Somehow even when they were alone they still ended up being disrupted. He clenched his fist subtly and began to regret giving the mutt to Sparrow. He knew he could not so much as raise his voice to it over giving him a good kick like he wanted to. All well...he would get his real chance tomorrow. Ghost was currently licking at Sparrow's face while she giggled.

"What are you doing up boy? Did you get lonely?" She smiled. She could tell Reaver was a little irritated but it was probably best their moment ended when it did. She still couldn't let herself get intimate with him, it would only make things worse. They laid under the stars for a little bit longer and then Sparrow parted from him. Not before giving him another quick kiss. As she left Reaver stared daggers at the little mongrel and Ghost cocked his head to the side in curiosity before chasing after Sparrow. When Sparrow got back to her bedroom she noticed laying neatly on her pillow was a small piece of paper. When she picked it up to read it she couldn't help but laugh and roll her eyes. It was a VIP invitation to a party Reaver was apparently throwing late tomorrow afternoon. He must have slipped it on her pillow when she wasn't paying attention. She narrowed her eyes when she saw the location...Bowerstone Castle? Had Reaver purchased the castle? Exactly how much gold did this man have? With a yawn she decided she would sort out the details first thing in the morning though she wondered why he hadn't said a word about the party all while she was with him? As she started to fall asleep she got a little nervous. She knew Reaver knew a lot of people so Avo knew how many people were going to be at this party. Especially if he felt the need to throw it at the castle...she didn't like crowds and what was she going to wear? All well...looks like tomorrow would be a pretty hectic day. Best get as much sleep as she could.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, follows and reviews this. I hope you all enjoyed. Any questions feel free to ask and as always review if you get the chance. Thanks again!


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I am so, so very sorry this chapter took so long to post. To spare you all the details, the real world kicked me in the butt and I was finding less and less time to write. Keep that in mind while reading this chapter, I hope it still turned out okay. Thank you so much for all the reviews and follows everyone! It means a lot to me. I hope none of you abandoned ship on me. As always enjoy.

Day Nine

When Sparrow was able to force herself out of bed, she was surprised to see half of Reaver's staff running around like mad men. Most of them zipping in and out of the rooms carrying crates of what she thought was bottles of wine or maybe mead. It was hard for her to tell while her vision was still a little groggy. Shew, if any decent bandit wanted her dead all they need do is attack in the morning and she would be virtually defenseless. She took a quick glance back into her bedroom where she saw Ghost had retreated back under the covers to go back to sleep. She let out a chuckle and then jumped back when she returned her vision to in front of her. Carrie had appeared from out of no where and it had startled her. Carrie gripped her shoulder and without another word she yanked Sparrow in the direction of the bathroom upstairs. Sparrow gritted her teeth. Okay seriously did no one in this house think she knew how to walk on her own or something?

"Lady Sparrow, I already have your bath drawn for you and it should still be warm. Now go get bathed and change into the clothes I have laid out for you." Carrie said in what Sparrow swore was one breath. Sparrow raised her eyebrow and opened her mouth to speak but Carrie had all but pushed her into the bathroom and was already closing the door. Sparrow caught the door with her hand to prevent it from shutting and forced Carrie to listen to her.

"Woah, hold up what's going on?" Sparrow questioned. Thanks to Carrie's abruptness she had successfully shook off the weariness of the morning and was now fully alert. Carrie shook her head and went so far as to try and force the door shut again. Thanks to Sparrow's strength however it didn't budge.

"Forgive me my lady, but we don't have time. Were already behind schedule and it's a long trip to Bowerstone from here." Carrie said urgently. Now that Sparrow could see properly she noticed she had a little bit of sweat on her brow, so from that, she too must have been running around like a chicken with their head cut off all morning. Sparrow narrowed her eyes...Bowerstone? Then she recalled the last minute invitation she had received on her pillow the night before and it clicked.

"Wait, Reaver is actually having a party at Bowerstone Castle?! I thought that was some kind of joke." Sparrow said and Carrie shook her head,

"Quite the contrary, Master Reaver's had the place rented out for this day for sometime. Now hurry up!" Carrie said and in vain continued to try and close the door on Sparrow. That didn't make any sense, why wouldn't he have mentioned the party before last night? Hell he hadn't even mentioned it to her outside of the random invitation she had received. The way Reaver loved parties she assumed he would have boasted about throwing one in Bowerstone castle by a hundred times by now?

"Where's Reaver?" Sparrow questioned, a part of her hoping she could come up with the right combination of words that could convince him to let her stay here versus going to a party where a bunch of rich snooty people were going to reside. Knowing her she would either say something dumb like "Hey, did you know lemon juice and bowerstone brown beer gets balverine blood stains out perfectly!" or simply not say anything and people think her rude. First love interests and now she was forced into social situations. When this was over she really needed to buy some far off secluded island to spend the rest of her days on.

"He went on ahead to make sure everything was perfect for his guests. Now I'm not trying to be rude but if that's all your questions you really need to get ready. If you show up late Master Reaver will be very sore with me, he wants everything to go a certain way tonight." With that, Sparrow let her close the door this time. It was to early for this, and she still wasn't completely sure if she knew what was going on but considering the apparent haste the entire house was in she obeyed and quickly got into the bath. Luckily due to her lifestyle she was accustomed to both bathing and getting dressed in a hurry. Still something felt...off. She wished Reaver would have at least said goodbye to her this morning. Which really shouldn't have mattered to her but for some reason it bugged her the most. Even over having to rush to go to a party she didn't even know about until last night before she went back to bed. When she emerged from the bathroom, dressed and clean Carrie gave her an appreciated look, then went back to dragging her by her hand to her destination.

"Master Reaver has a ship waiting for us at the docks. It's about the only way to get somewhere quickly from Bloodstone. I know you spent a lot of time on a ship the past couple of days and Master Reaver sends his apologies but it was our only option." Carrie said and all while she was being dragged to and out of the front door Sparrow could not help but admire Carrie's speed. She was a little shorter then Carrie but still it felt like she had to take two steps to her one. Getting irritated with being led everywhere Sparrow jerked her hand away from Carrie but continued her quick pace. She was starting to get anxious and she truly wasn't in the mood for being around a lot of people today. Why the hell hadn't he consulted her on this before now?! Well now that she thought about it, it was probably because he knew she wouldn't want to go. This way she couldn't refuse. Clever.

"So uh...how many people usually attend his parties?" Sparrow asked on there way towards the docks. Trying to get an idea of what she should expect. She saw the gaze of a few men and women as she passed and she felt insecure without her sword loyally at her side. In her hurry, her pistol had been neglected as well. Reaver truly must have hidden her sword from her because she had checked every room in the house yesterday and she could not find it. She felt almost naked without it. Like a piece of her was missing. Carrie shrugged and turned her head back to Sparrow.

"Honestly it depends on his mood. Sometimes we have a large crowd and others, only a handful of people. Seeing how he is hosting this one at the castle however, i'd guess anywhere between eighty or ninety people." Carrie said nonchalantly. Though it seemed like a simple statement to her it made Sparrow freeze. Ninety? Did Reaver even know that many people? If she thought really hard she could probably name about fifty people that she knew and that was it. Most being mere acquaintances and defiantly not people she would invite to a party. Now panic started to slowly creep up and clench her chest. She had to force herself to make small talk with the random strangler's at the Cow and Corset late at night but that many people? Oh Avo, she was going to make a fool out of herself and probably embarrass the hell out of Reaver. What kind of party was it anyway? Was it one of the hoity toity kind of parties or is it a drink till you fall down kind of party? Either one didn't really make her feel any better. Then a revelation hit her and she chased after Carrie who was unaware that she had stopped at all.

"Carrie wait!" Sparrow said and Carrie raised her eyebrow at the urgency in her voice. By the way Sparrow was acting you would think she was leading her to the hangman's gallows or something. Sparrow was a little odd in any conventional sense but really that's what Carrie admired about her. If nothing else Sparrow was far from boring. Sparrow sighed and looked down at her boots. "I don't...I don't have anything to wear." Carrie smiled at the way Sparrow kicked at the cobblestone beneath her feet, as if she had just revealed some horrible or condemning secret. She wondered if she even had a secret worth hiding, if something as simple as not having a dress would make her feel ashamed.

"Oh don't worry Lady Sparrow. I sent the dresses you had in your closet ahead to the castle. You can have your pick of them once your their."

"But...are they really appropriate for a party?" Sparrow questioned. She could only think of three dresses for sure that Reaver had bought for her and they were all plain and pretty much everyday wear. She really didn't want to embarrass Reaver in front of his friends. Carrie laughed and nudged Sparrow to keeping moving forward towards the docks.

"My lady...you know how crazy Reaver is about you." Carrie chastised. "If you showed up wearing a potato sack, he'd tell you how beautiful you were compared to his guests and probably think you creative. Besides I think he'd be overjoyed seeing that you finally wore one of the dresses he bought for you to begin with."

Sparrow felt comforted by Carrie's words but it wasn't necessarily his opinion she was concerned about. Reaver seemed to put a lot of stock in his status in Albion and if rumor spread that the rich and powerful pirate lord was slumming it with a "commoner" then his reputation he was so proud of could be tarnished. Then again she was the renowned Hero but that;s about all she had going for her. When she boarded the ship and sat down on the deck she couldn't help but be reminded of her living in the gypsy camp. She didn't regret it or feel the slightest bit of shame but she remembered how a lot of the higher society members would turn their nose up at her when she walked into Bowerstone wearing her gypsy attire. Most of her life she was "riff raff" or a low life, so much so she had never had the opportunity to attend something like this before.

As she stared at the sea she realized Reaver had become a bit of a soft spot in her heart since she was starting to become more concerned about him looking bad, instead of having to face the crowd it's self. Well...she couldn't hide forever. After all he had done for her so far the least she could do is spend an evening with him and his guests. She did truly wish he would have told her of it sooner but she had started to assume Reaver was a little spontaneous and unpredictable. He had proven the latter to her several times now. She shook off her fears and tried to focus on the events at hand. Even if she did somehow embarrass him, it didn't matter. In less then a week he could be back to his normal, lecherous and scoundrel self and all of this will seem like just a far off dream. Somehow...Sparrow felt a faint bitterness knowing that.

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It was early into the night before they arrived at the castle. Sparrow subtly threw her hood up when she entered Bowerstone square. Remembering the horror from the last time she had walked into town and with so many days passed it could be even worse. Reaver didn't have his grip over Bowerstone like he did with Bloodstone so she could very well be attacked again. As soon as they arrived at the castle Sparrow sighed at it's splendor. Bowerstone Castle held some bitter memories for her but she could not deny to this day it was the best landmark in Albion. Shame most of it's time had to be spent harboring a mad man. Carrie seemed overjoyed that they had finally arrived and she led Sparrow into the castle in a half run. Sparrow smiled. She had to remind herself a lot of Albion's citizens may have never had the chance to see the castle for themselves and from the look on Carrie's face she had to be counted amongst them.

Once inside Sparrow strained her hearing to see if she could get an idea of how many guests had already arrived but all she heard was her and Carrie's footsteps echoing through the gigantic castle. Everything was as she remembered. Beautiful sculptures as she passed, the floor underneath them was a deep ebony marble, and the carpet and rugs were a deep red. Somehow Carrie seemed to know where she was going and she stopped by one of the rooms near the main hall. Her smile was beaming and contagious and instead of the feeling of dread Sparrow was becoming excited too. Maybe it would be fun?

"Okay my lady, Master Reaver told me that your clothes and makeup would be in here so you could get ready. When you're done I can fix your hair and even your makeup for you if you want!" Carrie was ecstatic. She wished she could hang around and see the castle further and all the decorating Reaver had put into the place but she knew it wasn't her place. She just hoped the room she had directed Sparrow to was the correct one because all he told her was the fourth room in the left corridor. Sparrow sighed and opened the door. If nothing else she wanted to get this over with so she could see Reaver. She found herself missing him and though she regretted it she would probably be following him around like a lost puppy all night. She took off her jacket and hung it on the door knob. When she turned around to try and find the dresses to sort through...she couldn't believe her eyes.

Hanging on a rack just inside the small bedroom was the exact dress Sparrow had hoped to buy all those years ago, on her first trip to Bowerstone. When her adventure began. There was a few minor alternations but it looked almost identical. It was a dark fuchsia pink and the bottom of the dress was hemmed in black stitching and up the left side a stemmed rose was stitched masterfully. The tailor who made this dress even added the detail of a few thorns. The straps were thin and on the corset of the dress was added a black diamond in the center where the original didn't. Sparrow cupped her hand over her mouth and a few tears escaped from her eyes. He remembered? She had described that dress to him only once on the first day they had spent together. She couldn't believe it. This couldn't be real. No one...not Hannah, not Rose, not Theresa...had ever put that much thought into getting her anything before. With shaking hands she grabbed the dress if not for any other reason then just to confirm that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. It felt soft, not like silk but a similar material.

Still star struck she undressed then slipped the dress on. Somehow like before it fit her perfectly and clung to her in all the right areas. Even though she continued to shake she slowly inched her way towards the full length mirror in the room. With a big smile she started to laugh. It almost seemed like she was staring at a different woman in the mirror and the memory of herself in the tailor shop all those years ago. She looked beautiful. She looked...like a real lady. Not a warrior or a hero, but a woman. Tears continued to fall down her face which was a strange sight considering the huge smile on her face. She doubted even Reaver could fathom how much this meant to her. She wasn't lying when she said she hated dresses, and the one that she was wearing was the only exception. When anyone called her "beautiful" she would nod then kind of shrug it off and for the first time in her life she saw what everyone else saw.

Slowly the door opened and Carrie poked her head inside to see what was taking Sparrow so long. She shared the same smile that Sparrow had and she closed the door quietly behind her. Sparrow saw Carrie standing behind her in the mirror but she could not bring herself to look away from her own reflection. As narcissistic as that sounded. It was almost like she was afraid if she looked away the image before her would disappear.

"You look absolutely gorgeous my lady." Carrie said and pulled a chair over to her so she could sit down and she could start working on her makeup and hair. Luckily they had made it to the castle on time and they had a few extra minutes to make sure Sparrow looked her absolute best. "Thank you..." Sparrow whispered back and sat in the chair. Originally she was just going to slap some eyeliner on and pull her hair back then be done with it. Though now she was still in to much disbelief to function properly and sitting down for awhile was probably a good idea so she could pull herself together. As Carrie was doing her makeup she had to wipe away some tears that would randomly fall from her eyes.

"Is something wrong my lady?" Carrie asked in concern. She knew Sparrow was reluctant to go to the party but she never thought she would be brought to tears over it. Sparrow shook her head and and continued to smile.

"No. Nothing is wrong. Nothing at all." Sparrow said. She wasn't going to let the love potions spell damper her evening. Not tonight. Maybe it was fake, maybe it was wrong but she was going to enjoy herself. She wouldn't let her happiness be spoiled. Was it so bad to play along with the fantasy? Just for one night? No one had ever done the things Reaver had for her and be that product of a spell or not he deserved to see her truly and completely happy for once. Especially since he kept telling her that's all he ever wanted. If nothing else maybe they could both look back on this day and remember the feelings they brought each other. Carrie chuckled

"Well in that case, stop crying. You're messing me up." she teased. Sparrow laughed along with her then remained completely still. Letting Carrie finish her work. She both braided her hair then twisted it into a bun, keeping it in place with a black hair pin that was in the shape of a butterfly. Sparrow actually liked the pin and considered using it again in the future. After she finished her makeup with a simple sweep of skin colored eyeshadow and black eyeliner and mascara she placed the pink diamond necklace on her neck then stepped back. She clapped and wished she could see the look on Master Reaver's face when he saw her but she would just have to bug Sparrow for a description later. Sparrow slipped on a pair of high heel shoes (which made her nervous but it's all that was available) and took one last look in the mirror. She never felt so beautiful and she noted that with her outfit choices the colors actually matched finally. Nothing could bring her down now. May there be a thousand people waiting in the castle and she could care less.

They walked out of the room and Carrie gave her a quick guide on where she needed to go and Sparrow raised her eyebrow. "You're not coming too?"

"No my lady. I will see you back at the manor, but I expect a full report on all that happens okay?" Carrie smiled and Sparrow nodded. Now feeling a little nervous since she was entering the party alone. The sound of her high heels in the floor the only thing to accompany her. Though she was proud of how she kept her balance in the heels considering she had only worn a pair of them maybe once or twice. She walked down the main corridor leading to the ball room where she wondered how many elegant and sophisticated parties had been thrown there. The corridor led to a balcony in the ballroom and she gasped once inside.

The room was filled with assortments of various flowers. All so bright it almost stung Sparrow's eyes and the scent that filled the room was intoxicating. They were in every corner of the vast space and basic red rose petals covered the dance floor. It was simply breathtaking. She noticed that even the blue and orange flower she saw at the beach that day lined the random assortments. The large crystal chandelier that hung over the ballroom twinkled off the light and the sconces on the walls were also covered in flowers. When she looked down on the ballroom she didn't see a thousand people, or ninety or even a couple. She only saw Reaver standing there with a welcoming smile on his face in the middle of the room. Almost in a trance Sparrow carefully walked down the steps into the ballroom and accompanied him. He was the first to speak.

"You look radiant my love. I have imagined this moments several times for the past couple of days but it still pales in comparison to the sight before me." He smiled. Sparrow wanted to speak but couldn't. This had to be a dream. When she finally found her voice she all she could get out was

"Reaver...I can't believe you remembered...that you would...I...I don't know what to say. Thank you so much."

Reaver looked at her as if it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard anyone say. With a smile he said

"If you are referring to your new dress of course I remembered. You had confided in me that when wearing this dress, it was the only time you felt like a woman." he gently took her left hand and slid on a corsage that was combined with a white orchid and a pink rose. She hadn't even noticed that he had been holding it in his hand. It matched the boutonniere pinned on his white elegant jacket. "And my love, you deserve to feel like a woman. Each and everyday. I haven't met a woman anywhere near as extraordinary as you. The fact that you didn't feel like a woman saddened me so, I had to fix that problem immediately. I hope it fits you well. Such surprises are tricky when I couldn't get you're exact measurements."

"It's perfect." she said still overwhelmed. She tried to shake it off and took the time to look Reaver over. Instead of his usual attire or any outfit she had seen him in he was wearing a white suit with a black vest. As elegant as ever. She chuckled remembering their white knight conversation on his ship only a couple of days ago.

"You're wearing white." she commented and he smirked.

"I thought you would like that."

Remembering that she was supposed to be attending a party she looked around the ballroom once again and asked "Where's is everyone? Am I early?"

"Darling you were the only one invited. A clever ruse to keep you surprised. I hope you can forgive me. Just further proof you are the only company I could ever desire or need."

She felt like she was going to faint. He did _all _of this for her? The castle, the dress, the decorations...everything? Did the love potion bring this out in him or did it simply make another man all together? Surely none like him really existed. Only things made up in romance novels to keep girls hoping that their Mr. Right was really out there. Before she could say or think anything else she was startled by the sound of a violin playing and when she looked over there was a small orchestra in the corner. Consisting from lutes, to violins and a couple of flutes. She really must be in a daze to not so much as notice them either. With a smile and a short bow Reaver offered his arm to her

"May I have this dance my lady?" he asked and he adored her cheeks turning that red color he loved so much. She looked nervous and shyly confessed "Reaver I...I can't dance."

"You're in luck my dear. I happen to be an excellent teacher."

Before she knew it, she was...dancing. Not without stepping on his toes a ridiculous amount of times but it just seemed to tickle Reaver over him being angry at her inability. Once she got the hang out it, it was easy to follow. More or less she just moved with the rhythm. She didn't know how long they danced alone in the glorious castle or for how many songs but when a particularly slow one boomed through the great space she found herself leaning against Reaver, her head placed comfortably on his chest. Letting him lead her whatever way he wished. Everything about the night was unbelievable and if she stood in the Spire this very day her one and only wish would be that this moment, this night would never end. No repercussions, no doubt, no pain. Just music, dancing, beauty, warmth...and love. She heard his heartbeat in his chest and knew his and hers beat as one in that moment. Both lost in each others embrace. Like nothing in this world could part them. Two half's finding their missing piece.

When the music stopped, she heard the applause of the band members of the two's dance. Reaver smiled and lightly caressed her cheek. Wondering which divine entity he should thank to have such a beautiful and amazing woman in his life. Now he finally saw it. Sparrow always had a fog of unrelenting sorrow hidden in those hazel eyes. Not anymore. Now there was only light and joy. Now on his long list of accomplishments seeing her happiness with his own eyes would now claim the top of his list.

"Are you pleased dearest?" he asked for good measure but that smile on her baby pink lips hadn't faded since the moment he saw her. Still, it would be nice to hear the words allowed. Sparrow sighed and the only thing she could think to do to show just how happy he had made her was to lean up and claim his lips with hers in a slow and passionate kiss which Reaver eagerly returned. A smile tugging at the corner of his lips all the while. When she broke the kiss Sparrow stated "You have no idea. I can't even describe to you how much this means to me."

Reaver looked content with that answer then gently took her by the hand. Gesturing to the band members that it was their time to leave. "It's a little stuffy in here, do you care to join me on the balcony?" Sparrow nodded and followed him to the balcony leading outside in the ballroom. It was even bigger then the one at Reaver's mansion and the view beneath him was the luminous garden and courtyard Sparrow adored about the castle. The the moon shined brightly up above them and the air outside was clean and crisp. She couldn't have been happier. He handed her a glass of white wine that had been waiting for them on the balcony along with a few assorted fruits. He sat in one of the comfortable chairs on the balcony and she sat in the opposite one. She sipped on her wine and it tasted excellent. She could only subtly detect the alcohol in it. As Reaver gazed into the night sky he mentioned

"I was thinking of purchasing this castle if it pleases you." Sparrow turned to him in disbelief. Sure she had considered buying the castle, but with it being only her there was no point. Hell she got lost in Reaver's mansion which was only half it's size. "It could give us all we needed for our children that you wanted. Decent neighborhood, plenty of space to play outside, I could teach our sons how to fire a pistol properly over there, without hindrance of nosy guards." he gestured to the courtyard where a few statues were placed. The image of Reaver playing and chasing around their children in the courtyard appeared before her eyes as she stared down at the area. Bringing her both unmeasurable joy and complete and utter sadness. The bitter fact of the spell crashed down on her shoulders. Hard. Knowing in not even a week it would be over and the fantasy of the life they could have together was shattered. What hurt her more then she could bare was now somehow she had fallen truly, madly and deeply in love with him. She could have had everything she wanted. She'd live in this castle like she wanted when she was a little girl, she'd have a man that was strong and devoted to her, and some children of her own to love and nourish into this world. Though it was a facade. A far off dream. An endless tunnel that no matter how fast or far you ran you never reached the light at the end. She gulped and tried to keep her composure

"I'll have to think about it..." she said. Still playing along with the fantasy. Reaver didn't seem to mind.

"There is no rush. We have plenty of time to sort out the details. As I told you before I want our own time together long before such progressions are made. It was just a thought."

They spent the rest of the night talking and nibbling on some fruit and chocolate. Sparrow was trying to come to terms with the fact that she was now in love with him. She felt it. Everything about him was different. Even when he would accidentally graze her hand it sent tingles through her. She smirked when she realized the statement "Reaver always gets what Reaver wants" was absolutely true. She had never been in love before yet now she was head over heels for him. Despite her best efforts. All this was going to do is make things harder. She would eventually get over it...she thought...but still all she could worry about was how he was going to feel once all was said and done. How could she let this happen? Was it even Reaver that she had fallen for? Or this version of him? Was it him at all? This was to confusing. To painful. Unlike anytime before she couldn't run away from this or hide. She had to face it and she simply didn't know how to. It's not as though anyone else in Albion had experienced anything quite like this. She must have been staring off into space for awhile because when Reaver gripped her shoulder she jumped.

"Well my love, I thought we could spend the night here and then head home in the morning. I don't know about you but I am exhausted. Do you care to join me? The royal bed is told to do wonders." he smirked and Sparrow was to absorbed in her own self pity to comment on it.

"You go on ahead love. I'll be in soon." she said simply and Reaver didn't question her and was actually overjoyed that she had referred to him as "love" for the first time. He gave her quick directions to the master bedroom and then excused himself. When she was alone she let out a elongated sigh. A few hours ago she was on top of the world and now she felt even lower then rock bottom. Is this what people felt when they realized they were in love with someone? Or was it just her and her messed up situation? What could she do? She felt...she felt like she needed to do something. Anything to show him that she truly did have feelings for him. That way even when the spell wore off he could at least look back and remember that it was real for her even if it wasn't for him. She had an idea...but...could she go through with it?

Lost in thought she roamed the castle until she got into the kitchen. Like everything else it was glamorous with an extended amount of space. She was about to keep roaming but then she spotted the display of different wines and liquors. Maybe...no, she had to go through with it. It was the only thing she could think to do. She rushed over to the liquor cabinet and pried it open. To impatient to look for a bottle opener she yanked the cork out with her teeth and took a quick swig. Then another...then another. Pausing only long enough so that she wouldn't get sick or light headed. She repeated this process quickly and in no time she had downed two bottles of wine. Way over her usual limit and when she stopped the effects hit her quickly. Especially when she tried to step off of the bar stool she was sitting on in the kitchen. She flopped down on her butt then laughed obnoxiously. Feeling the giddy the alcohol provided for her. Now she had the courage she needed.

As she stumbled through the long corridor leading to the master bedroom, it seemed all the farther under the influence and felt like forever to reach her goal. As she walked, she kicked off one of her heels, then the other. Next she did her best to slide off the dress Reaver had tailored specifically for her, when she succeeded she let the dress fall in the hallway. Last but not least she removed the pin in her hair and undid the braid so that her blonde hair fell back to her shoulders. By the time she reached the bedroom all she was left wearing was her undergarments and she was still a little to shy to remove them just yet. She closed the door as quietly as possible then crept over to the bed. She frowned when she saw that Reaver was already fast asleep. How long had she been drinking? No matter. She lightly nudged him awake and as soon as Reaver opened his eyes she got onto the bed and straddled his hips with a playful smile on her face. Reaver's eyes widened when he saw Sparrow almost completely naked and on top of him. Hoping he wasn't having a really intense dream.

"Hey you." she slurred and leaned down to kiss on his neck and unbutton his pajama shirt. Reaver gasped and was more then happy with where this was going. Going from being asleep to wide awake and alert in mere seconds. He ran his hands up and down her back and subconsciously bucked his hips into her. When she removed his shirt he sat up and took her breast into his mouth. She let out a low moan and it only urged him on further. With a quick breath he switched to the other breast. Twirling his tongue around her nipple lightly. Shadows, she even tasted amazing. Sparrow clutched her hand into his hair and let herself be overwhelmed with all the sensations he was giving her. When their mouths collided Reaver stopped exploring the wondrous body before him. When he broke the kiss he could both taste and smell the wine on her...

"Are you drunk?" he sounded...disappointed? Instead of answering him she grabbed his hands and moved them back to her breasts. "Don't stop." she urged. Now that Reaver wasn't clouded with lust he could tell by just looking at her and the fact that she smelled like a brewery that she was tanked. Sparrow attempted to lower his pants and with a sigh he grabbed her hands and effortlessly picked her up and placed her on the bed next to him. Sparrow looked puzzled and moved to climb back on top of him. Had it really been that long since she had, had sex? Was she doing it...wrong somehow?

"Darling, you're drunk. You need to get some rest." Reaver said as firmly as he could. Sparrow ignored him completely and locked her lips with his once again. Reaver couldn't help but return the kiss. He had wanted this for so long and he was having an extremely hard time fighting it but in his many fantasy all of them involved Sparrow being sober and one hundred percent willing. When her hand snaked down the front of his pants and gripped his length he moaned but shook himself out of it. Not like this. He quickly got up from the bed and tried to calmly defuse the situation.

"Sparrow...I'm sorry but we can't do this. Not tonight. Not after you have consumed all the alcohol you have. Let's just get some rest and if you feel up to it in the morning we can pick up where we left off." _Just don't touch me...gods I can't refuse you if you touch me again..._

"Why?" Sparrow whined. To drunk to take into account anything that was taking place other then her plan wasn't going exactly according to plan. It's not like she would ever have the guts to make a move on him sober, so this was the only way. She had to show him how much she cared about him and that she appreciated everything he had done for her...this was the only way right? This was what he wanted. "So, I drankk a lil. I still think your sexy, and stuff. Come on were in a castel." she giggled. Reaver sighed. He wanted desperately for Sparrow to relax and let loose a little but seeing her so inebriated he wasn't so sure anymore. It just didn't seem like her...

"Sparrow...listen to me." he said as patiently as he could and focused his concentration on the top of her head versus anything else or else he might work himself up again. "This is nothing against you okay? Trust me under any other circumstance you wouldn't know you're own name by now but darling I can't go through with this. If there is even the slightest chance that you can wake up in the morning and regret me I couldn't bare it. I don't want our time together to begin like all the other women before you and I become that 'big mistake they made at the party'."

Sparrow tried to understand what he meant but the only thing she could really comprehend at the time was no. Now she was starting to feel very embarrassed and vulnerable. Subconsciously she gripped the sheets on the bed and draped it around her shoulders. Oh god what did she just do?

"I don't understand...I thought this was what you wanted..."

"Sparrow, I do want you. So much I can't hardly stand it, but I want things to go a certain way for us."

"Well how else was I supposed to...to pay you back for everything you did tonight?" Sparrow said aloud and when she looked up at Reaver through the dim light of the moon in the window she watched his face change to one that almost looked appalled.

"So all of this was a transaction for you? Damnit Sparrow I didn't do any of this to try and get you to bed me! How is that still not clear to you? You don't have to 'pay me back' for my acts of love for you. If that was my only desire I could achieve that goal by merely walking into the local pub and picking out a stranger from the crowd. I assure you they wouldn't get the treatment you receive everyday."

"Well go get someone then! Sorry I'm a burden!" Sparrow yelled and pushed past him. Looking around for her clothes but remembered that her dress was laying somewhere in the hallway. With nothing else to speak of she grabbed Reaver's white jacket that was hanging on the back of the desks chair in the master bedroom and attempted to button it the best she could though her fingers weren't quite obeying her minds orders. Reaver covered his face with both of his hands and wanted nothing more then to scream. He tried his best to keep in mind that she wasn't herself but what else...what else did he have to do to prove to her he was genuine?

"That is not what I meant and you know it. Why is it every time I get close, you turn away?" he argued and Sparrow was to angry and humiliated to even try and answer that question. She didn't want any of this. Why? Why did she have to actually fall for such such a man then go and make herself look like an idiot or worse total harlot in front of him? She felt dirty, not in love. She knew even if that wasn't the only thing he wanted from her why couldn't he just go through with it so she wouldn't feel like the fool she did now.

"What do you want!" she screamed at him. She should have ran. She should have ran long ago when she had the chance. They would both have been a lot happier and better off.

"_You_!" he yelled back at her with the same volume and anguish. Even when he did the right thing, it still wasn't enough. Fine, if she hated him for not taking advantage of her so be it. If worst came to worse he could at least know that he for the first time he didn't pounce on an opportunity and thought of someone other then himself. "Damnit Sparrow, I love you!"

If there was ever any words that had the ability to make her go from drunk and angry to stone sober in a second he had found them. That was the first time he had actually said it to her...it was always implied and he referred to her as "love" countless times but truly hearing it...not that Reaver wished for the first time he said those words in hundreds of years would be in the middle of a heated argument. Sparrow shook her head and pointed at him, to get her point across.

"Don't..." she warned. Bitter tears threatened to fall down her face but she had to remain strong. She had to put a stop to this. "Don't ever say that again."

Reaver had been shot before, several times as a matter of fact but after hearing that, the feeling of hot led entering his body would be a welcomed pain compared to the one stabbing his heart that game just as quickly as a bullet. Not only was that the first time he had ever confessed his love aloud but it had been shot down and dismissed with such ease he couldn't hardly believe it. Now wishing all of this was some kind of corrupt nightmare versus reality. He didn't know what to do, what to say? Maybe this was karma finally coming back to haunt him, but he wasn't going to give up now. He knew...he knew she returned his feelings for him. She just had to.

"Why? I am not afraid of it, why are you? Why do you fight what you feel? I am here for you and only you Sparrow. Don't give up on us just because you are afraid."

She shook her head and felt a strong urge to run again. Somewhere, anywhere, just far away.

"Because it's fake! It's not real! You won't want anything to do with me in no time! I know who you really are Reaver, and that man can't love anything or anyone besides himself. You can lie to me and you can even lie to yourself if it suits you but it's the truth! I want to believe that this who you are, you have no idea but it doesn't matter anyway because _your _fear and greed is what's going to overcome you, because you always take the easy way out. It's easier to live for hundreds of years and not care for a single soul so that you don't have to feel pain or loss. Unlike you I can face that pain but you will always run away from it. You're still the same coward from Oakvale that is so afraid of death and change that you are willing to throw away everything important to you, so that you can be blind to it!"

She panted and felt her heart beat quicken in her chest. True half of what she said was directed towards the Reaver that was locked away inside, the one that she had met a couple of years ago and not the one infected by the spell. Still it needed to be said and with the loss of her usual filter it just spewed out. She knew once the spell was broken, even if any feelings for her remained he would squash them in an instant. It was just his way. This _was _real for her. Maybe one day when the spell was broken, he could look back on what she said and it would hold more meaning. Reaver didn't say a word to her. All his pride that remained went towards keeping his face unreadable and unaffected, but she had no idea how deep her words had stung him. It was bad enough she had returned his "I love you" with "Don't ever say that again" but when the one person you cared the most about and intrusted your very life and heart with blatantly pointed out your own flaws to you, it was a deep searing hurt that threatened to scar his already tattered heart. His sea blue eyes turned cold and warning. He wanted to yell back at her, but he just couldn't bring himself to. Lying to himself...she didn't mean it...she was drunk...but even were it true it provided no comfort. Sparrow rushed out of the room and slammed the door behind her. He just stood in the same spot. The feeling of being emerged in a sea of ice hadn't left him. He didn't know if he should chase after her or not. He didn't even know if he wanted to. Was this the universes way of telling him he wasn't meant to have this kind of happiness? That his payment for all of his past sins would never end? He gave it his all...he did everything the correct way this time...still he was alone.

Sparrow rushed inside one of the random bedrooms in the castle and slammed the door shut again. Immediately grabbing a pillow off of the bed and sobbed into it. Not knowing what she would regret more in the morning. Trying to seduce him or all the harsh words that followed.


End file.
